They Made Me
by Kawaii Kabu
Summary: I didn't want to go on the date with Sasuke... but I caved in to the peer pressure of all my friends. How am I supposed to win the heart of Naruto with his 'ultimate rival' hanging all over me? AU
1. Chapter 1

They made me

Kawaii Kabu

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, this fanfiction is purely down to a serious Hinata obssesion, procrastination and my own... speeding up(?) love life.

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I didn't want to go on the date with Sasuke... but I caved in to the peer pressure of all my friends. How am I supposed to win the heart of Naruto with his 'ultimate rival' hanging all over me?

* * *

The day he approached me was... different. No, actually, it was a very normal day-for me that was anyway. I got up, proceeded with my daily routine and went to school. It wasn't until lunch that things really went weird.

Sakura had just confessed to him again. Him being Sasuke Uchiha-the boy who almost every girl in school was 'in love' with. I could totally see why, he had that mysterious image going for him- but he wasn't my type. He was scary looking for one, I'd rather have someone who's vocabulary outside of the classroom consisted of more than 'hn' and 'aa'.

"Sakura... listen, I'm only going to say this once ok. I will never date you, I will never kiss you, I will never find you remotely attractive and I will also never get drunk and sleep with you. It will never happen... ever." Ouch! Poor Sakura, yet another reason I don't like Sasuke. He's really mean. Shooting down someone like that in front of the whole year.  
"Will you at least tell me why?" She demanded with tears in her eyes.  
"I already like someone." The room froze, fan girls all across the room's ears all perked up. No doubt they were all hoping he'd say their name. Hoping that is, because Sasuke Uchiha had never 'liked' anyone.  
"Who?" Sakura asked the question that was on everyone s mind. The girls in the class burst into questions. It was then he pointed to his left. I thought nothing of it; there were lots of girls on this side of the room. I think I was the only calm girl in the room to be honest.  
"Her. Hinata Hyuuga."

I didn't remember anything else happening that day. The stares I got in those two minutes would stay with me for the rest of my life. I don't do well with attention; I'd rather not be in the spotlight. It was then that I decided to hate Sasuke Uchiha. How dare he put me out there in front of everyone like that? I could sense the glares of betrayal and anger from the girls in the room as well as the looks of disapproval from the boys. It was no secret that they all thought I was 'weird', even Naruto was giving Sasuke a questionable look. Every male-except Sasuke it appeared- would choose Sakura over me... Even the boy I have been silently following and supporting since year one of primary school. Why couldn't Sasuke just go out with Sakura?  
"I-I-I h-hate you!" I meant to say, but it came out in a harsh squeak then I fainted.

The next day I woke up. I was in my own room, in my own pajamas. I sighed with relief, it must have been a dream- no, a nightmare. And so I continued on with my life as though nothing happened.

I was getting books out of my locker, when I had opened it, no one was beside me. When I closed it Sasuke was leaning on the locker next to me. I squeaked. He smirked.  
"Since you fainted yesterday-"  
"Y-yesterday was r-r-real?"  
"Yeah, I know. Seemed like a dream for you right? Go out with me."  
"N-no."  
"Excuse me, it sounded like you just said no."  
"I d-did."  
"What?"  
"D-did I stutt-tter?"  
"Yeah... it's really really annoying though, so stop." Who does he think he is, ordering me around like that?  
"I said no." And then I walked away, it was when he walked in behind me for double biology that I noticed I had every single class with him today. "Somebody kill me." I whispered to my desk.

"Half the school year would gladly oblige you know Hinata, you really oughtn t to say things like that- someone might take you seriously and I'll never see your cute blushing face again." Ino pouted. Ino! Voice of reason, she'd know what to do. "Oh, and everyone knows what happened by your locker earlier. Some fan girls must've been watching or something." She handed her homework into the teacher as they passed by and so did I. "They're pissed at you for rejected 'our Sasuke'." The teacher passed by Naruto, who had yet again not done the homework.  
"B-but... I don't want to g-go out with him..."  
"Well why not?"  
"H-he's mean... a-and scary... a-and he's not my t-type."  
"So Naruto's your type?" she stated slyly.  
"Yes..." No! She trapped me into confessing again. I-I mean...n-no!"  
"Hinata, come off it. Just accept Uchiha's feelings."  
"N-no."  
"I bet Naruto'll pay more attention to you if you're with Sasuke. I hear they tell each other /everything/." she teased.  
"E-everything?"  
"Mhmm. And Naruto'll find out how awesome you are through Sasuke." She sang.  
"B-but, isn't that m-mean? Using Sasuke l-like that."  
"It'd be better than what he did to Forehead over there." she nodded at her sullen looking pink haired friend. "Embarrassing her in front of the whole year like that. She's totally crushed. Hasn't said a word since."  
"O-oh... should I go and talk to her?"  
"You can't do that. I have something better in mind." It was then the teacher interrupted her.

"Yamanaka. Whatever you and Hinata are discussing I'm sure has _something_ to do with Ecosystems so why don't you share it with the class?" Ino smiled. Normally I don't mind when she does that, but this was more like an evil grin. Oh no. She was going to do something bad for me.

"I'm just trying to get Hinata to understand that she simply cannot pass up the chance to go out on at least _one_ date with Sasuke Uchiha, which she will be doing this Friday." She then turned to the back of the class where Naruto and Sasuke sat. "Pick her up and 9." She sat down. Evil Ino. Having successfully embarrassed me, the teacher continued teaching and I tried to copy down all the notes on the board. Head down, don't look at anyone. Especially not Sasuke. It was the most awkward biology period in my short seventeen years of life. I could feel him smirking, that evil Uchiha smirk. He doesn't even smile nicely!  
"Ino- what did you just do?" I hissed at my blonde friend.  
"Don't worry its payback. I'll fill you in at break. Let me copy your notes, and don't look at Naruto Kay?" Why shouldn't I look at Naruto? Was he sad that I was being forced on a date with Sasuke? So I turned to see if anything was wrong. It wasn't. But then I saw for myself the smirk that I imagined on Sasuke. It seemed to say 'I knew you couldn't resist.' to me. And Naruto? He looked happy. Why did he have to be happy? I didn't want to go out with Sasuke, only him.

"Hinata, I know that going on a date with Sasuke must be very exciting for you. But it is not Friday, and it is not 9pm either. Do your ogling at a time when I am not teaching- these lessons aren't for my own benefit but yours." The teacher ousted me again. Ooh why did they have to be so evil? The class snickered and Sasuke's grin only grew as I turned around blushing.

* * *

So it's been a while since I was on the Naruto scene. I'm not going to lie I'm amazed I even posted this fiction, normally I'd write them up to the penultimate chapter, bugger up the ending and then delete the whole thing. But I have recently read a most awesome fanfiction that makes me want to start again, and actually give a meaning to the hours of time I use writing fanfiction to avoid doing homework, coursework and a 4000 word essay that is due tomorrow.

Helpful feedback is really what I want. I've already written up to chapter 6 but I'd like to know how I could improve, like is Hinata's stuttering too 'a-a-a-a-anoying' like it is in some fiction I've seen on the site. Not slamming them, but seriously, help me improve. And please GOD tell me if my characters are OOC, I haven't watched Naruto in ages, and in the manga I'm not getting much of a glimpse of the characters I really planned on using all the way throughout. This is an English Sixth Form-based piece of fiction. I'm tired about trying to write for the masses of Americans that are on this site by using a culture I haven't experienced. Another reason that I'm not using the Japanese that often dusts most anime-fiction, I do understand basic Japanese, but once again- haven't experienced it, won't write it. You could say this is loosely based off of my own life, or at least the start of it is.

The faster you review, the faster I'll update.


	2. Chapter 2

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Just wanted to say a thank you to all the people who reviewed. The four of you are very awesome, especailly Kay S who left me some good feedback as to how to make this more eye-friendly and also to keep reminding myself what the story is really about. Re-reading through the other chapter's I've already written I've already been going off track- imagine that! But I want this to be a short fic. Probably not more than 15 chapters.

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Ino's plan was simple... well she said it was. In all seriousness I was confused as to what I was doing and why.

"Hinata, go out with Sasuke, get Naruto to like you and publicly humiliate Sasuke by dumping him at lunch." She told me. It sounded a little too much like the plot for John Tucker Must Die to me, and it didn't help that Ino was a serious fan of that movie, she probably knew certain scenes off by heart.  
"B-but... I don't want to Ino...S-sasuke...he...uh- he scares me."  
"Look. What he did to Sakura was wrong yes or no?"  
"It was v-very wrong."  
"Right, so we're just getting him back for her, and all those other girls he's humiliated."  
"B-but Ino... won't the fan girls-"  
"Forget the fan girls."  
"They'll kill me..." I whispered.

I then thought about what they'd do to me... Would the arty ones slice me up and put me in resin, showcasing me as a piece of modern art? Would the tough tomboy's bully me and leave me with bruises, ciggarette burns and chewing gum in my hair? Would the female jocks attack me in Physical Education, or in the showers? Would the popular banshee's spread gossip about me and make my already small social network even smaller? Would the 'horror girls' make voodoo dolls of me using my hair and burn them- and therefore me alive! I'd seen this being done in a few movies where the 'prince' goes out with a lowly 'peasant' of the school food chain. I must've been drifting off into space because Ino was snapping her fingers in front of my face impatiently.

"Hello? Not if Sasuke doesn't want them too, and if Naruto is Sasuke's best friend... or rival or whatever, he wouldn't want him tired out from fighting rabid fan girls off of you."  
"I... I don't think it's as s-simple as you make it out to be Ino."  
"Of course it is! I'm brilliant! Brilliant!" The blonde stood on top of the table and observed the students in the recreational area. She spotted a pineapple shaped head of brown hair. "Shikamaru! Tell Hinata that I am brilliant!" she ordered her best friend, well, she used the term 'best friend' the term that everyone else referred to him and his tubby but lovable friend Chouji was 'Ino's Slaves'- they'd known each other since they were born, their fathers were best friends and had often set up play dates when they were still in nappies. They liked hanging out together and it was a pretty equal relationship, until Ino decided that as the only girl she should be the main priority- Shikamaru was too lazy to argue back and Chouji didn't care either way. They hung out with me and Ino a lot, and I liked Shikamaru because he was a great math tutor, and I adored Chouji because he had the biggest heart in the world. The dark haired teen lazily looked up from the desk, sighed and went back to working on a plan to get Ino's attention to pass from a pair of shoes she'd been coveting and hinting at him to get her for her birthday in a month. "I'll never love you again!" Ino threatened.  
"Gah, troublesome. Ino is brilliant; we should all bow down and bask in the radiance of her beauty and intelligence." He recited.  
"Thank you Shika~" she chirped. But I was still not convinced. It was then that I decided to get her books, the bell would ring soon and I had Japanese and then English-to both she owed essays. Ino was busy bullying Shikamaru due to his lack of enthusiasm to notice that me, her cute, shy' friend had even left the area.

Leaving Ino's wise in the way of the boy-nurturing safety meant that Hinata was alone. That meant she was vulnerable to fan girls, perverts and such other horrors that lurked the school corridors.

The opportune moment for Sasuke to pounce.

It wasn't that hard for the Uchiha to do. Hinata was obviously distracted by her thoughts- doubts- on Ino's 'master plan'. He simply had to walk in front of her and then stop unexpectedly. She bumped into him with a soft 'ump'. "Ah- I'm so sorry; I should look where I'm going." She said politely.  
"Why'd you change your mind?"  
"E-ehh? Uchi-Uchiha?" The day just got better and better for Hinata.  
"I'm not repeating my question. But let me tell you this, if it was some lame 'hard to get' tactic I'm not going to fall for it."  
"Wha- I don't even l-like you." she protested. "Ino announced it without my consent in front of the whole class s-so I have to!" Sasuke smirked.  
"Well if you don't like me, who is it? Every time I see you looking at me you're blushing..." He backed her into an adjacent locker, "And I don't think you're into girls so it can't be Sakura you're blushing at... and that leaves... Na-ru-to." He had counted down from three fingers and the one that appeared to represent Naruto in his mind offended him so much he felt the need to glare at it. Hinata of course didn't notice Sasuke glare-war with a part of his body, she was spluttering. This was worse than yesterday! Someone had figured out that she liked Naruto and it was his best friend (eternal rival)!  
"I-is it th-th-that obvious?" She asked.  
"Well yeah, I don't see why you're wasting your time on him; he's hung up on Sakura... Lord knows why... I much rather you." he placed his hand on her cheeks and leaned forward. Hinata's eyes widened- was he going to steal her first kiss? "I want to taint that innocence." Sasuke said... his voice low, gravelly... and very hot. That alone caused the Hyuuga's face to flush. "You're blushing that much and I've only touched your cheek."  
"P-please let me go... I have class... and you're going to make me late and the bell-"  
"Isn't going to ring for another five minutes."  
"But I need to get my things for my next lessons and... And... And you're in the way!"  
"I'll walk you there."  
"I-I can manage on my o-own..."  
"Yeah but I'm going to tell you what I have in store for Friday night." Sasuke gripped her hand in his own and dragged her protesting to her locker. When they finally reached her locker the bell rang. Earlier than Sasuke expected. He still hadn't gotten his own equipment from his locker; he was too busy teasing Hinata to bother with that. Pupils were already running towards their classrooms. "Hmm, well Hinata looks like I'm going to have to steal you for a couple minutes while the lesson begins." Hinata looked at him wide-eyed.  
"B-but the teacher'll kill me- and you!"  
"Nah, that sap loves me. Come to my locker." he ordered.  
"N-no." Hinata struggled to get out of his iron-grasp and actually managed to. Her father training her in martial arts wasn't wasted time!  
"I'm getting really annoyed with that word Hyuuga." He caught hold of the back of her plaid skirt and pulled it behind him. His locker was in the opposite direction of their Japanese class. If they were going to be late, they were going to be _late_.

Hinata ended up spending the entire 50 minute lesson with the Uchiha. She felt quite abused- never before had she ever been man-handled in such a way. And he'd always find inappropriate ways to prevent her from leaving him and running to class. First he pulled at her uniform, then he pinned her against lockers, he forced her on all fours after he took her to the recreational area and _almost_ kissed her. She fainted. When she came to he was sitting down with her head in his lap gazing up at the sky. His attitude was almost exactly like Shikamaru's.  
"Hyuuga, you got some... interesting...underwear. Didn't have you down as the red lace kind." Hinata screamed.

"_P-pervert_!" She scrambled to get away from him, it was a wonder they weren't caught by the busy-bodies who roamed the halls during lessons looking for students that were bunking class.  
"Well I wanted to see a preview of what I might see later on. You were out for half an hour, I was bored."  
"'m-might see later?' I'm not that kind of girl Sasuke."  
"Oh, I know... You'll surprise me I'm sure."  
"You are s-so full of yourself." she pouted. "I'm going to class now."  
"There's only ten minutes left. No point."  
"T-then I'll just go to English. G-good bye."  
"I added my number on your phone."  
"S-so...?"  
"So call me. Oh and I'm not going to English." The last Hinata saw of Sasuke that day was of him climbing over the fence like he was too cool for school. Which he probably thought he was... But she had to make up for missing Japanese... maybe hand in her essay after English and apologize to her teacher- she needed an excuse... that she was feeling ill and was at the nurses office!

"Hinata~ I hear that two people were missing from your Japanese class~" Ino sang, "So did you let Sasuke have his dirty manly way with you?"  
She was such a pervert. Hinata didn't have to respond as Shikamaru guarded her from his lively female friend.  
"Ino stop being so damn assuming. Knowing Uchiha he probably kidnapped her and she fainted." Ino pouted at his words, Hinata's shock at Shikamaru's words told her that is was the truth.  
"E-ehh? Shikamaru how did you know?"  
"You guys weren't the only two bunking period 3... I had PE. I hate PE."  
"A-and you didn't rescue m-me?"  
"That would have been using effort. A mission and a half." he shrugged. Hinata sighed. Ino giggled, she always found the humorous side in everything.  
"But if it was me, you'd rescue me right Shika~"  
"You don't need rescuing. You and Sakura could both kick my ass; the two of you just need to be left to your own devices."  
"Idiot! You were supposed to say that you would!" Ino sent a punch Shikamaru's way, he swiftly dodged it and it hit innocent bystander Naruto who was walking on his other side.

"Owww. Your punch is almost worse than Sakura's!" The blond complained. His eyes watered "Hinata~ Ino's being mean to me~" Naruto clutched on to Hinata's arm and gazed up at her with puppy-dog eyes.

_He's touching me... He's touching me! Naruto is touching me willingly. _Hinata tried to say something but her throat got dry and what came out sounded like a choking noise.

"Hinata are you ok? You don't look so good." The indigo haired teen nodded enthusiastically to respond to his question as she tried to calm herself down. Why is it that she could talk to the 'school hottie' and still not manage a full sentence to her own crush? "Oh... ok. Hey did you do the homework? I kinda left mine again...and Sasuke usually lets me copy his at break but he was like... missing."  
"He was t-tormenting me." Hinata stuttered. "Um... I-if you want... you can co-copy my work?"  
"Nahh, it's cool." Naruto scratched the back of his head, it seemed that Ino and Shikamaru had headed off rather quickly to their next lesson leaving the awkward pair alone in the hallway. When Hinata took a sly glance at her crush she noticed a faint dusting of pink on his cheeks. "So uh... Hinata... you're really going out with Sasuke on Friday?"  
"I-I guess so... E-everyone's expecting me to... It doesn't feel like I have m-much of a choice." Was he getting jealous? Already? But it had just been a few hours. Hinata smiled on the inside, Ino's plan was working! She made a mental note to hug her friend at lunch.  
"Aah... So... do you think... maybe...? Sakura'd be free on Friday? I mean, now that you're going out with Sasuke she's more likely to say yes to me right?" That stopped Hinata's fuzzy feeling from building up inside. It was obvious Naruto still liked Sakura. With his tunnel vision it was going to be a while before he noticed her as more than a friend.  
"I don't know... Sakura's still h-hurting from t-the other day... S-she might want some time for herself..."  
"Yeah. Never thought about that. Thanks Hinata you're the best!" Naruto exclaimed. "You know... Sasuke really likes you; he told me last year he thought you looked cute. Even when you had that weird short hair-" he didn't like her pixie-cut? She'd gotten it to impress him last year. "And everyone knows Sasuke likes chicks with long hair. Plus that bastard kept like, looking at you all the time. You two'd make a great couple."  
"Y-you re-really think so?"  
"Yeah~! Don't be nervous Hinata; if it comes to it I'll fend off the fan girls so that you can get to know Sasuke- no. Better idea. I'll come around your house on Friday and just spill the Sasuke beans before he picks you up ok?" While his intentions- though in the right place, hurt her feelings- Hinata agreed to this meet up. At least they'd be together... alone... in her room.

A boy in her room! The first one and it was going to be Naruto. Oh she could have died happy. From that complying nod of her head, Hinata counted down the seconds, minutes, hours and days till Naruto would be in her room.

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As far as a second chapter goes I'm proud of it. I think it really moves on with the story, though I have to admit, that there will probably be a chapter or two dedicated to just one day in the fiction and that might get annoying or confusing for anyone. If it does get to that, don't refrain from pressing that little button down there and telling me so or even sending me a PM to set things straight. I may not update as awesomely fast as I have, wow 2 updates in 2 days. My record right there. I normally take months to deliver chapters and even then I feel they're kind of iffy.

On to the second little reason for this little author commentary. I was thinking about changing the Title of this to 'Peer Pressure' due to the circumstances Hinata finds herself in. I myself haven't been pushed so far as to being forced on a date with someone like Hinata is being, but my first ever date was due to my friends in school leaving very not so subtle hints... or rather orders (they called them 'suggestions'). This chapter is where my love life and the story go their seperate ways, I'm trying to keep true to Naruto while making it as entertaining as possible, so please read and review. I'm glad I got 110 hits in less than 24 hours, but granted that about 3 of them were me just checking it looked decent... still, 5 reviews by 4 people (2 who were annon.), 2 faves and 4 alerts do not add up. I'm really serious about the feedback, if everyone who reads could give me a little comment or something to improve upon. It'd be much apreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

They made me

Kawaii Kabu

Here goes chapter 3 on day three. I can see now why people write the whole fiction before deciding to post it up, I'm already halfway through my fic but uploading it bit by bit helps me to improve on the story for the reafers. Thank you for all the reviews, alerts and faves.

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2 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes and 50 seconds.

That's how long Hinata waited for Naruto set his first step into her bedroom. Sasuke was to pick Hinata up for their date at 9 so now she and Naruto were in her room after school. He said it was to help her but in reality she wasn't paying attention to his tips or advice. The fact that he was in her room was enough to distract her for the rest of the school year.  
"And Sasuke loves it when girls show their necks so you should wear your hair up or something." Hinata nodded dumbly with a smile on her heart shaped face. It was only 4. She had 5 hours until Sasuke would turn up, she and Naruto had just arrived from school so she was still in her school uniform.  
"Um... Naruto... do you want a snack... or, erm, something to drink?"  
"Yeah! You got any instant ramen?"  
"A-ah... no... B-but I-I could make you some... I-if you want..." she shyly offered.  
"You... Can make ramen?" Naruto was awestruck, "Hinata, if Sasuke didn't like you I would totally kiss you right now!" he cheered. He wanted to kiss her! She squeaked as he pulled her into a bear hug and carried her to the kitchen. "You got to let me watch you do it Hinata."  
"O-okay... but eh... can I go change first? My f-father won't approve if I get my uniform dirty."  
"Oh yeah totally. You know what you're wearing for your date yet?"  
"J-just something simple... and w-weather appropriate."  
"It's a date Hinata, not a meeting with friends. I'm going to choose your outfit. As Sasuke's best friend I know what'll get him hot under the collar." The blond patted Hinata's shoulder so hard that she stumbled and landed with her elbows saving her face from the wooden floorboards. Her socks and blatant distraction had led to her slipping after Naruto's actions. Now she was on her knees ass-up in front of Naruto. Thankfully he had the decency to pretend he hadn't seen anything while she scurried towards her room to change.

What should she wear? She could wear jeans... but then what top should she put on? Blouse? Strapless? T-shirt?  
"Ay, what am I going to wear?" Hinata flew through her wardrobe, everything looked wrong for hanging out with Naruto it took her fifteen minutes to decide to wear a denim miniskirt- even then she was skin coloured tights and over the knee socks with it. She was going through the drawers under her bed looking for a T-shirt when Naruto knocked at her door.  
"Hinata~ Are you done yet?"  
"A-almost Naruto."  
"Coo~l. Do you want me to get out anything?"  
"N-no... I-its okay Naruto. I'll d-do it."  
"'Kay." she heard footsteps away from her room and sighed with relief. She grabbed a plain T-shirt in yellow and followed her crush to the kitchen. He looked her up and down and she was sure that he had pink dusting on his whisker marked cheeks. "Hinata you look cute!"  
"Hehe... she shyly giggled. Cute!  
"Sasuke's going to love seeing you in that." Ah. Way to ruin the moment Naruto. Mention Sasuke the boy she didn't want to even really talk to but was now being forced into casually dating. The pervert was probably going to steal her first kiss among other things if rumors were correct. She glided over the floor towards the cupboard where her mother kept all of the 'Asian food' ingredients, like noodles, ginger, dried mild peppers and the sorts of additions you could only find on the bargain shelf of the 'multicultural' supermarket.  
"Umm... what would you like in your ramen Naruto?" she sweetly asked.  
"EVERYTHING!" The blond excitedly replied. His enthusiasm was too much and, like often when she was around her crush, Hinata found herself nervously giggling and blushing like a peach as she busied around preparing Naruto a meal like a real housewife. The idea of being a housewife itself caused her to blush even more until she resembled a pink lady apple.

"Hinata. This is the most... delicious... heavenly thing I could ever eat!" Naruto cheered. "My usual ramen place is hiring you know... I'd have /more/ of a reason to go if you worked there."  
"R-really?"  
"Duh. Friends get discounts right?" he winked. Hinata's attention turned to her own ramen which was left basically untouched as she had spent the last twenty minutes staring at the blond knight. He was purring over her meal, and that left Hinata with a sense of fulfillment. The room they were in remained in silence however, Naruto too busy eating to talk and Hinata was too shy to initiate conversation. Finally Naruto sighed with relief. "That was a beautiful meal Hinata." He said. "So... it's Friday. Anything good on TV?"  
"A-ah... I don't know... I'm normally doing my homework before my parents and Hanabi come home..."  
"Ehh? No friend of mine will be bored on a Friday! To your DVD collection!"  
"M-my what?"  
"Where are all of your family's DVDs?" Hinata pointed right of the television. "Alright!" He cheered. "You have Pan's Labyrinth."  
"I-it's my sister's favourite film."  
"Your sister has good taste."

"Tell me something I /don't/ know." A voice chimed in. A brunette with similar eyes and facial features to Hinata stepped into the room with wet hair dripping on her school uniform.  
"H-hanabi. How was swimming practice?"  
"It's obvious that I'm going to be the only one to win anything in our next meet. They're a bunch of numbskulls."  
"That's n-not nice!" Hinata exclaimed, appalled by her sisters rudeness.  
"Meh." Hanabi nodded towards Naruto who was still going through the DVDs "Who's that guy? Is it a /date/?" she slyly asked. "Because it's been about damn time that you bought a boy home. I've already and I'm five years younger than you."  
"T-that's not proper Hanabi. You're twelve! You should be-"  
"Whatever Hinata, I'm going upstairs. Have fun with your boyfriend there."

Of all the baby girls born twelve years ago, Hinata's mother and father just had to bring back the one that could reduce her older sister to a blubbering mess in less than 120 seconds and insult her while comparing herself to 'big sis', had Hinata not inherited a mild manner from years of reading 'The magic Key'-esque books in nursery and primary school... well, two Hanabi's would not be good for the Hyuuga family. Leave it at that.

Naruto had chosen Pan's Labyrinth to watch. He was shocked that I had never seen it before- it being one of the best films he'd ever seen- that wasn't a ninja-based action of course. Hanabi had stayed in her room so as not to 'disturb the happy couple'. Ophelia had just eaten the first grape from the table of the demon. When it placed is red eyes into its hands I almost died of fright. I have never shivered at a movie before, this wasn't even a horror! The background music didn't help my cause at all... neither did the dark that Naruto insisted we should watch it under. The amount of times I managed to grip onto Naruto's arm and cringe were countless, I don't like horror films. The suspense, the gore- when it ate the heads of the two fairies. Thankfully it was just me and Naruto in the room because he didn't mind so much when I screamed. I imagined my little sister would laugh at me before telling me to 'man up' and watch it without another sound.

But I have to admit...there is a benefit for watching a film that I would be occasionally afraid in, Naruto was used like a screen of blocking out movies every time Pan came on screen- simply because his behaviour and body language... and really creepy face, and also whenever Ophelia's step-father entered the scene for her was a cruel man and appeared to be a more extreme version of my own father- even though I felt sorry for him when I found out about his crazy war-obsessed father. It was like a vicious cycle. Never in all my life had she been so afraid of a fictional character. Naruto's arm didn't appear to be protecting me fully from the fear initiating scene as he was earlier and just when I thought I'd faint of fear, my blond knight held me close. So happy. I could die happy tonight! I could feel his breath on the back of my ear; it was hot and tickled in all the right... or wrong ways. With my head buried between his shoulder and neck I managed to smell him for the first time, he smelt a lot like someone drowned in Lynx and also the bubblegum smell of Head and Shoulders wafted through my nose where certain strands of his hair fell. So that's what perfect smelt like.

"It's okay, I got majorly freaked out the first time I saw this part of the film too."  
It was a shame the fairy eating demon didn't have a longer running time as Hinata couldn't justify invading Naruto's personal bubble for so long without being that 'close' to him. Yet when she was ready to pull herself apart from him she noted that without the warmth of his torso on her left and his arm on her right- out of his grip she'd be releasing her precious body heat into the air.

9 'o' clock. On the dot. Sasuke was outside the Hyuuga residence lazily waiting for his date to exit her home. He'd already rung the bell. An unfamiliar girl with chocolate hair answered the door.  
"Sasuke, I'm here for Hinata." He said confidently.  
"Oi! Hinata! Two in one day? I didn't know you had it in you!" the twelve year old yelled in doors. She then returned her attention to the guest. "Is it in her? Because if /it/ is /in/ her... my dad'll kill you."  
"No you little pervert." Sasuke scoffed... not that he hadn't thought about it. Hinata'd make an interesting bed partner. And he had always wanted to sleep with a shy girl- apparently they were the best, the quiet ones.  
"Tch. Whatever, I'm going to get her then seeing as she's NOT COMING TO GREET HER DATE!" The exclamation of her sentence was clearly directed at Hinata inside of the house. From the open door Sasuke could see his date being pushed out of a room by tanned arms, she looked as though she'd just seen a ghost. Was the idea of going out on a date with him so bad? Sasuke had never been more insulted in his life.  
"Oi, Hyuuga, we got a date to go on here, stop wasting time. We're going to miss the movie." Horror movie. Because it'd give him an excuse to grope her while 'protecting' her from the creatures on the screen.  
"I'm trying here you bastard she's just shook up. That thing with the eye-hands creped her out in Pan's Labyrinth." His best friend stated behind her.  
"You know how freaky that thing is."

Hinata and Naruto were putting their shoes on and grabbing their coats. Naruto left way before Hinata set foot outside of her house to start her date. Her sister had left growing bored of the lack of 'juicy' life of her elder sibling and totally missed it when Naruto hugged Hinata and kissed her on the forehead before running down the road to catch a bus. Sasuke eyed Hinata s shame filled face before strutting towards his car; she scurried behind him like a duckling would follow its mother.  
"So, I ask you out and you leap at Naruto huh?"  
"...It wasn't like that..." she weakly complained.  
"Whatever... Like this doesn't make the date more awkward I'm now going to think about you kissing Naruto." The Uchiha fastened his seatbelt and Hinata took a look at how reinforced it looked, actually, everything in this car looked as though it had been strapped, bolted or stuck down.  
"K-k-k-kissing?" Hinata couldn't believe her ears. Just the thought of kissing Naruto made her feel weak, what made him think she could actually do it? Other than the fact that he'd just left her house where she had tousled hair. He drove off like a speed demon to the local cinema.

As if that demon in Pan's Labyrinth hadn't scared her enough, Sasuke decided to continue with the plan of forcing her to watch a horror movie. It was called Splice. It scared the life out of her, her usually pale skin was white as a sheet of paper despite the fact she had tried not to watch the entire film. Every time she tried to hide behind Sasuke like she had earlier with Naruto, he pushed her back to the centre of her seat and watched her squirm with a smirk on his face. Finally he decided enough was enough and pulled the terrified girl into his arms where she gladly hid from the movie.  
"I know I'm irresistible Hinata but calm down we're in public." His reply was just a squeak. Suddenly the loud thud-like sound effect that told you someone was just about to die or that shit was about to go down caused Hinata to scream and therefore triggered a series of female shrieks and some laughter rippling through the screen room. Now she was embarrassed as well as scared. Why couldn't the movie just end already? It's a good thing that Sasuke couldn't see her red face.

"Have a good time Hinata?"  
"N-no..."  
"Why not?"  
"Y-you k-know why you s-s-stupid, evil p-person."  
"How was I supposed to know you weren't into Horror flicks?"  
"Y-you s-saw me after Pan's Labyrinth! T-that wasn't even a real horror film. Y-you're evil."  
"I'm flattered that you think so highly of me. We should do this again."  
"We're not going to..." Hinata said. Her first sentence she had said after the movie without st-st-stuttering and getting on his nerves. And yet this clear statement irked him more than her childish habit.  
"Why the hell not?"  
"Because I didn't want to go out with you... They made me." She spluttered.  
"Did they force you into my car or to the cinema with me? No. I've got this theory Hyuuga." They were at a red light; they had just missed the amber light that would've allowed them to pass through. He leaned over to her. "You secretly want me. Under that cute, innocent facade you have on... you're probably dirtier than I- no, than /Naruto/ would ever have expected a girl to be."  
"That's a-a stupid theory." And a thought wasted. Hinata didn't want to know much more than the basics when it came to... that /thing/. Ino had basically set up a rule for her as Shikamaru and Chouji had prevented her from tainting Hinata's mind 'If you don't know what it is... just say no.'  
"Don't you have a more colourful vocabulary?"  
"Cursing is rude and un-unbecoming." The traffic light changed to amber and he stepped down on the accelerator and they sped down the road. Sasuke was obviously going above the speeding limit, when they swerved around the corner to get to her street she almost flew into his lap despite the fact that she was wearing her seatbelt.  
"See, you're practically crawling over my lap." She murmured a response was lost on his ears, to full with his own smugness to care what she had said. "And look we're here."

Hinata flew out of the car in a desperate attempt to leave him. She rushed to her front door before Sasuke even undid his seatbelt. Yet after all the trouble she went to get away before the awkward end of date moment where he would expect a kiss or something similar, he still reached her before she was save.  
"L-let me go." He had practically forced her against her own front door with one hand. He seemed to enjoy watching her squirm for an escape route, the sadist.  
"You're not even going to give me a goodbye kiss?"  
"No." The Uchiha sighed.  
"I'm just going to have to take one then." He made a move to plant his lips over her own, not her first kiss! She couldn't loose that to someone so awful. Hinata turned her head to the side and squeezed her lips together the hardest she could, but he seemed to be expected she'd do that and moved to kiss her neck right above her jugular vein, this was the second time a guys breath had been focused on her neck.  
She only wished that it was Naruto who would have voilated her personal space this way. Sasuke's near-kiss caused her heart to race and her breath to quicken and shallow. He made her whimper- out of fear, but of course he thought it was because she 'wanted' him- before backing away to his vehicle.

"Psych."

Hinata cursed for the first time in her life, even if it was rude and unbecoming.  
"Jackass."

* * *

In the reviews people appeared to be confused about Ino's position in the whole bussiness. She is Hinata's only female friend, but also the best friend of Sakura. She and Sakura don't hang out in school because of differences in their chosen subjects and also because Sakura, being a fangirl spend most of her time chasing Sasuke, who Ino is long over but doesn't mind looking at him and appreciating his 'prettiness'. In the first chapter Sasuke embarrassed Sakura and Hinata simultaneously in public- Hinata is shy so the attention she recieved made her faint, something she is uncomfortable about (also that he is her crush's best friend.) and Sakura's public humiliation speaks for itself. I like writing the character of Ino, especailly with Shikamaru and Chouji in the background, because of their link in the anime/manga it's just exploring different angles of the friendship triangle- Ino is the loudest so I decided to make her a little bossier and a little louder but also as realistic as I could. I love having friends that act like Ino do, they really brighten up the day, which is why Hinata is friends with her- the girl with no confidence should have a close friend who has enough to share. Please review with suggestions on how I can improve.


	4. Chapter 4

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

This is the fourth installment of They Made me that I've updated in five days! Oh my God this is like the best ammount of updating that even one of my friends who also is on didn't believe that I'd updated. Ha! Prooved you wrong darling, but yes, here we go. This will be my last update of the week, I have coursework and sleepovers... Also I'm going to need time to revise the next two chapters I've written to suit the suggestions you awesome reviewers have given me in your reviews. I think after this week I'll update once a week so that I have time to do that and the 'end of year' school stuff also.

Also: random note, Splice is a real movie... I haven't seen it yet... I don't even think its out in the UK or America yet. But I saw the advert for it, it was a choice of that movie and The Human Centipede which looks horrible... It's like Saw met up with Josef Friztl only obssessed with butts. Dislike. And also that anyone who hasn't seen Pan's Labyrinth yet really ought to. Because I saw it for the first time a few weeks ago, and was amazed (and Hinata's feelings on the movie reflected my own... my friend thought I was cold the ammount I was shivering when that eye-hand demon thing was on screen. Bless right?)

* * *

"Hinata give me all the dirty sordid details!" Ino cheered in my ear. It was Monday; Sasuke said he'd see me today. I didn't know what he meant by that but it scared me. The whole school knew of my date on Friday. No doubt Sasuke was boasting about our last encounter in front of my house. The idiot.  
"He took me to see Splice."  
"Oooh! I heard that movie is scary~" my friend shrieked, "You think I can get Shika to take me and hold my hand there?"  
"Ino!"  
"Okay, okay... jeez, but you know I love Shika with all my heart." She exclaimed with her hands over her chest. "So did he kiss you?" The blood rushed to my face as I felt Sasuke's breath on my neck all over again. "Oooh he _did_! What was it like! Was it your first kiss? It was wasn't it? Kyaaaa~"  
"I-Ino shush... People a-are staring at us." I hissed. "He didn't kiss me anyway." It was then that she pulled me into the nearest room.  
"Lies. Hinata _where_ did he kiss you?"  
"He _tried_ t-to k-k-kiss my neck the jerk." Ino started to swoon; she was looking like a blonde haired, blue eyed version of me when Naruto was around. She was thinking dirty thoughts. Of all the people I had to make best friends with the beautiful young blonde with a mind on par to Jiryia- the author of one of my father's acquaintances 'Uncle Kakashi's favourite series of erotica books.  
"Anywhere else?"  
"NO!"  
"Did it feel..." she licked her lips, "Wait, no. Don't tell me- was it good?"  
"Ino what kind of question is that?"  
"Of course it was. Why am I even asking?" The blonde shooed her out of the room. "You have however... given me a lot to think about when I next see Shika." The blonde mumbled; the object of her affection just happened to walk past the very classroom they had left. She latched on to his arm like a python and basically ordered him to take her out that night. I love Ino, but sometimes I just wonder why Shikamaru puts up with that sort of behaviour.

All through double Philosophy, I felt Sasuke watching me. Naruto'd sent a paper plane my way.

_'How was the date? ; P'_

I just smiled at him. No doubt he already knew how it went- if he and Sasuke shared every piece of information he probably even knew the exact tone of that traitorous whimper. He grinned and high-fived Sasuke. Why did I have to sit behind them? It'd be easier to ignore them from the front.

I was putting away my Philosophy folder when a pair of arms wrapped around my shoulders. Hot, heavy breathing next to my ear.  
"So... am I seeing you make that adorable face again or what?" Sasuke. I really hated him right now. He just had to single me out of the crowd. I was fine being one of the random girls in the crowd never standing out and he just had to ruin everything. Now every guy was checking me out, trying to find what he sees in me and every one of his fan girls either worshipped or wanted to destroy me.  
"I-I don't know what you're t-talking about."  
"It happened you know. Do you need me to refresh your memory?" Evil, stupid lecherous Uchiha. "In front of half of the year? They're watching us you know."  
"Please get off of me. I-I want to go talk to my friends."  
"And _I_ want _you_ to come with _me_ to talk to _my_ friends." Why did he have to be so horrible to me? I did pout and finally turned to face him. My version of the Hyuuga-glare was normally a failure, but I think I managed to do it just right at that moment. "That's fucking adorable." He smirked. "A pout and a glare? Are you begging me to kiss you?" I pushed him away and he followed me down the hallway. All eyes followed us as I went straight into the first empty classroom and cat-calls followed him as he followed me there.  
"Sasuke can you j-just leave me a-alone?"  
"Can you leave Naruto alone?" That returned me to a blushing stuttering mess. I could leave Naruto alone, but I liked being with him... he was nice and funny and not _evil_. "Listen, Hinata. I know you think I'm a jerk, and Naruto's probably already told you this- but I've liked you for a while. So just give me a chance."  
"L-like I-it's even possible! You p-probably only like me because I-I'm not one of your stupid fan girls and... An-and I like Naruto."  
"Well you know how I love a challenge." he whispered. When did he get so close to me? "But I like you, because..." he bowed his head, his breath was hitting my neck "You... are..." one hand over my school blazer and another pulling my hair to one side "totally different to those girls." He kissed my neck.

I always thought the girls in romantic films were idiots they way they swooned after some smouldering stranger kissed them on the neck. It didn't appeal to me... Ino was crazy about it; she thought it was the most romantic sensual experience that every girl ought to have under her belt of romantic achievement. Ino's theory seemed just about right when Sasuke's lips travelled up from the base of my neck.  
"N-no..." don't push me against the teacher's desk Sasuke you manipulative incubus! He overpowered me again. Why didn't my self-defence steps kick in like earlier on? "D-don't!"  
"Don't what?"  
"D-don't kiss... don't ki-kiss me t-t-there!"  
"That... was very hot Hinata... it sounded _very_ naughty. Now where would you rather I kissed you? Here?" I lost my very first kiss. My lip-ginity. I lost it to the most... words cannot describe my feelings for him. That horrible moment was disrupted (thankfully).

"Yo! Sasuke! I need to copy some of your- _Oh_! Hinata... sorry about that, I'll just go this way and leave you two alone." Naruto? And he saw me in this position? No-no-no, no, no! This was the most embarrassing event ever. Worse than when I walked in on my father in the shower.  
"Thanks for the consideration." Sasuke jeered. But Naruto didn't leave, I begged him not to, only with my eyes, Sasuke had basically gotten rid of my ability to speak... to stand... with a stupid kiss. My first kiss. And he robbed it! I couldn't compose my thoughts properly. All that flooded my mind was rage. And that somehow gave me the strength to push him off of me and run into the surprised arms of Naruto.  
"Bastard? Why's she crying?" I heard Naruto yell at Sasuke, "What did you do to her?" I buried my head in his chest, my fists dug into the excess cloth of his blazer. Everyone paid attention when Naruto yelled, he had a voice that always found something exciting for the school to gossip about. They were whispering as Naruto took me crying from the classroom I had hoped to escape Sasuke from.

"What do you think he did?"  
"I don't know- you don't think he rap-"  
"Sasuke wouldn't do that!"  
"But she's crying like he did..."  
"Yeah look at him he obviously did something to her!"  
"Maybe he broke up with her-"  
"So... Sasuke's back on the market?"  
"If he is, I'm so getting with that."  
"She didn't deserve him anyway."  
"What's she got that I don't?"  
"Dude! Chick gets taken away crying and you're just gonna diss her?"  
"You guys are cold man."  
"Well if you like her so much why don't you date her!"  
"Hanna wait! I didn't mean it like that!"

Naruto left me to go get Ino; he said he was going to punch Sasuke's face in for making me cry. Ino- she rushed to my side like a busy angel.  
"I-Ino!" hiccups where disturbing my speech, "I-no!" She hushed me, and she patted my shoulders and she just let me cry into her.  
"Hina, what did he do?"  
"He stole it... He took my first kiss- h-he just took it... and then... then he humiliated me in front o-of N-Naruto... A-and I- I didn't want to go out with him on Friday b-b-but you all made me! A-and Naruto d-didn't even care~!"

"Dude. What did you do to Hinata?"  
"I just kissed her."  
"Seriously? That was it? You _kissed_ her and that is the only thing that made her burst into tears like that?"  
"That's what happened."  
"Are you sure? It didn't look like that to me. Did she even want to kiss you?"  
"Every girl wants to be kissed Narutard."  
"Hinata's not like 'every girl' you bastard. It looked like you were just forcing her..."  
"Just because the guy who she'd prefer to be kissed by walks in would make any girl feel humiliated." Sasuke accused Naruto.  
"What so _I'm_ the reason she'd burst into tears? While you're _violating_ her!"  
"You humiliated the girl because everyone but you has noticed that she's been in love, with _you_ of all people since we were six."  
"What?"  
"If you'd just reject her feelings already I could actually have a chance with her. God knows why she'd like you when _I_ exist." Sasuke stalked off; when he walked through a crowd of gossiping students they parted for him. The killing intent he emitted was suffocating. Even the fan girls knew that in his current mood it wouldn't be right to bother him.

Why didn't she like him? What did Naruto possess that he didn't? He was perfect, good hair, good grades, he was exceptional at everything he did. Girls loved him, boys wanted to be him, teachers adored him- even the bi-polar demon Ms. Jeztico who taught them Japanese.

"Hina, you need to calm down ok... I know it was your first kiss, but surely it wasn't that awful?" Ino reasoned. Hinata was still sobbing into her friends shoulder when Naruto stalked behind them.  
"I-I" Hinata's speech was littered with hiccups. "I-I know."  
"Then why're you torn up this bad?"  
"B-because... I'm so a-angry."  
"At Sasuke?"  
"A-at myself..." And at N-Naruto. He was just going to leave her there with that pervert of a classmate- after how nice she'd been to him all these years and after he led her on for so long with his sweet words and more than friendly touches.  
"Hinata it was a kiss don't beat yourself up about it."  
"I-it wasn't _just_ a kiss Ino. I-I let myself f-forget that I didn't like Sasuke that way, a-and I was l-letting him because no one else want-wanted to t-touch me."  
"Hinata... not meaning to sound like a pervert or anything- not that I'm not, I really am one but it's not the time or place to be one... but loads of guys want to touch you I'm sure."  
"I-I d-don't care a-about those g-guys..." Ino sighed. No doubt Hinata was angry with herself for allowing Sasuke to illicit those feelings from her, but she was angry at Naruto for not noticing her feelings. It had been eleven years, if it had taken Shikamaru that long to realise that Ino was obsessed with him the blonde would have knocked him out, chained him and turned him into her personal man-slave- which he was anyway. But Hinata was the 'cute, innocent one' so she wouldn't even think of such an unladylike thing to do.  
"Hinata... C'mon Naruto's an idiot for not noticing how amazing you are by now."

Naruto felt like he had seen enough, well... heard enough. What Sasuke had said to him earlier corresponded with what he'd just overheard Ino discussing. Hinata liked him, and had since she was six years old... that was twice as long as he had started to like Sakura... he'd been feeling rejection from Sakura for five and a half years, but here was Hinata who had been excluded from his thought process due to his tunnel vision, and all those times he'd asked her for dating advice to use on Sakura... no wonder her face always lit in conversation and had dimmed after a mention of the red-head's name.  
"You're an idiot you know." Shikamaru said. "You only realising Hinata likes you, now of all days?"  
"It's just a shame I don't like her that way..." Naruto sighed "Sakura is the only girl for me... I'll wait forever for her..."  
"And that's exactly how Sakura feels about Sasuke, to minimize the trouble and effort you're going to go through... Just go out with Hinata, you might actually develop feelings for her, hers are received, everyone's happy."  
"Everyone but Sakura and Sasuke."  
"They'll eventually settle."  
"Yeah- but they're my two best friends Shikamaru! I can't just allow them to hurt each other and hurt them myself."  
"Hey... it was just advice. You _don't_ have to follow it you know. Jeez." The boy placed his hands into is pockets and went over to pat Hinata on the back.

"Shika you're here! I need you to go with me and Hinata to the nurse s room."  
"Why?"  
"Emotional distress Shika. The nurse listens to you, she always listens to you." Shikamaru sighed. He was probably going to end up doing what she asked anyway, but it was fun to rile up Ino. It was this that made him a little similar to Ino; she loved to get on his nerves. In public she treated him like a slave, and he tolerated it because behind closed doors she was screaming his name for a different reason and he was the one in control. "Please?"  
"I'll see what I can do." Hinata smiled at him through her tears.  
"Than-thank you Shikamaru... I-I don't think I can deal with the rest of t-the day."  
"'Course." he blushed as Ino hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. There was a sparkle in her blue eyes. The very same sparkle that made him re-think his life plan a year earlier.

Find a stable job, get married to an average girl, have 2 kids an a dog or a cat, depending on which one would satiate the children's cuddling needs the most.

Ino had confessed in a strange way to Shikamaru, she'd basically jumped him in his room when he was helping her with the math homework. He felt like an idiot for not realising her feelings earlier, he had an IQ of 120+. He was a certified genius, albeit a lazy one.

_"Shika... I really like you." She purred._  
_"Normally you tell the guy that before you jump his bones Ino."_  
_"You like me back too don't ya?"_  
_"No." Ino moved to punch him in the face. The jerk! He stopped it. "I love you." That caused her to burst into the biggest grin he'd ever seen. She pulled him down to kiss him but he refused._

_"If we do our homework now, we can spend the rest of the time doing whatever you want." he advised. He thought she wanted round 2, he was wrong. Never was he going to tell Ino they could do 'whatever' she wanted. He spend over a hundred pounds in a shopping spree she decided to go on because "If Shika loved me he'd get me all of these things."_

His life plan now? Go to a good university where he'd be more likely to get a good job to support Ino's material needs. Propose with the most tastefully expensive ring he could order and after the wedding spend his time following what she had planned for them.  
"Shika you're the best you know." Ino said clinging onto his arm with one hand, with the other she dragged along Hinata. "What did I do to get such a lovely boyfriend?"  
"Oh so we're dating now?" She'd previously referred to him as her 'best friend with benefits'.  
"Well when two people love each other they normally go out." Ino rationalized.  
"Ino. We are hardly normal."

Sasuke chose to take spend the rest of his day on the school roof. No one ever came up those stairs that lead from the back of the school's playground, probably because they were the fire escape route and fires never occurred in the school. Itachi had told him about that area when Sasuke was trying to get into the school, that was six years ago when he was eleven, Itachi was already in the sixth form by then, soaring through classes in a true Uchiha fashion. He wanted to be just like his bigger brother. The top of the school.  
"Hey... Sassy-pants."  
"What are you doing here you idiot?" he asked. A blonde head had poked up from the railings. "I'd rather you left me alone."  
"Typical Sassy-pants." It was Deidara, one of the trainee teachers and Itachi's spy for all things pertaining to Sasuke gossip. "I here you sent the Hyuuga girl crying to the nurses office. What did you do, molest her?"  
"I kissed her. Why does everyone assume I did something wrong?"  
"Because you're a dick. A bratty, sulking dick that can't get over the fact that he can't get _all_ the girls."  
"I don't want to get all the girls. I don't even know why- Just go bug one of the teachers or something."  
"I'm going to go, but only because the year 13 girls are playing volleyball against that girls school."  
"You're a sick person, man."  
"Hey, four years isn't that bad a difference. Later Sassy-pants." Sasuke sighed. Not only was Hinata the only girl he could actually stand, she was also the only sensible person in their year. Most of the time he felt he was surrounded by dunces like Naruto and Deidara. The only other person close to his IQ was that lazy Shikamaru, but he hung out with that Ino girl- at first he found her highly irritating but he had to appreciate her effort to get Hinata to go out with him.

* * *

Erm, revise of this chapter. I feel like the end of the of it, the ShikaIno and Sasuke-Deidara interaction were added on. A lot of people wanted an insight to Sasuke's mind and feelings on Hinata. I didn't want to leave him as some asshole... despite that he _is_ one... a smug sexy asshole. But one none-the-less. His little talk with Naruto and also with Deidara were to show that he didn't just want a challange which is the persona he presents to the rest of the world because Sasuke Uchiha doesn't feel mushy over some girl.

As for the ShikaIno... I think they're insanely cute. I also don't think that Shikamaru would put up with Ino's madness so much, I mean, there is a point to laziness. And yes, he's whipped. Whipped like cream they put on strawberries. And the bit about Ino jumping Shikamaru's bones before admitting she liked him was slightly inspired by Juno. You know at the end where Ellen Page is like 'normally people fall in love before they make a baby' when she and Michael Cera are chilling in the hospital after the baby is born? That's what got me thinking that Ino and Shikamaru wouldn't have a 'normal' relationship, but they'd balance eachother out, like how people think Naruto and hinata balance each other out, the whole 'opposites attract' thing is what I have going on in my mind. My lame attempt of trying to elaborate on the characters.

As always, constructive criticism requested and appreciated in review form.


	5. Chapter 5

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

I'm back loving readers. I've had a rest and over 2000 views, feeling really awesome right here. Though come on... 4 reviews for like, 200+ views? Please? Even the anon. people. I do love you all. I've decided that from now on I'll just update once a week, If I'm not I trust Coco Minu, my friend to kick me in the shin or something, but still remind me if I haven't updated a week, even if its just one of those 'don't forget to update' PMs or 'hey.. where's the chapter?' sort of messege.

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_Ding Dang Dong_

The final bell for school rang. Students rushed out of lessons- all eager to get home and 'forget' they had homework due in the next day. Either going out, afterschool activities or gossip was the topic on their teenage minds. The topic- Hinata Hyuuga and Sasuke Uchiha. What was going on with those two? They go out on a date, Sasuke's grinning like a sly, sexy Cheshire cat and Hinata is unaffected. Sasuke follows Hinata into an empty classroom, and she leaves in tears accompanied by Sasuke's _best friend_... slash rival, and suddenly Sasuke's sexy grin is replaced by the stone mask again.

There were many theories, Hinata tried ignoring them as she walked home, but the pressure of the day was getting to her. She heard a loud obnoxious buzzing behind her and saw an orange scooter speeding down the road. It was Naruto's, his hair was covered by a white helmet and he was wearing a large pair of green goggles. He stopped by her side.  
"Hinata, you ok? I haven't seen you all day?"  
"...Yeah... I'm f-fine Naruto..." Her voice faltered, she hadn't spoken since her confession of unlikely rage to Ino... it was a coarse whisper. But there was concern in Naruto's cerulean eyes.  
"You want a lift home?"  
"N-no... its ok, I d-don't want to be a bother."  
"It's fine; you can wear my helmet 'Kay." With that he unfastened his helmet's buckle and placed it on her head. She looked up and laughed; his unruly hair had been tamed and moulded into a bowl shape, much like her cousin Neji's best friend Lee's hair? "What's so funny?"  
"You have h-helmet hair!" she squeaked, "Y-you look like... like Lee!" However Naruto had never met Lee, so her inside joke was not as appreciated as if he was friends with the exuberant male who was so much like himself... only with bushy eyebrows, a bowl haircut, a creepy relationship with his uncle Gai and a green tracksuit. Naruto fussed to return his hair to its former messy glory as Hinata got on to his scooter. Hair back to its unruly state and with his passenger clinging onto him for dear life, Naruto sped down the road. Despite it not being a car, Hinata could definitely draw similarities between Sasuke and Naruto's driving, fast, reckless and adrenaline pumping.

"Here we are at Chez Hinata."  
"A-ah, thank you for the lift N-Naruto." Hinata was now stood on the pavement with Naruto's helmet still firmly attached to her head.  
"No problem!" the blond exclaimed.  
"D-do you want to come in?" Hinata started, "For... snacks or...?"  
"Why not?" he said. Hinata was struggling with the fastener on the helmet and he reached over and loosened it with a single click. Cue his sheepish grin as they walked inside of her house.

"Oi. Sasuke." Ino nudged the dark haired boy as he passed her. "I need to talk to you."  
"No, I won't go out with you." He sighed. "When will you fan girls learn?"  
"Excuse me? Fan girl? You need to get your head out of your ass Sasuke. Not _every_ girl wants you. I am quite content with my Shika." Ino was getting sidetracked and so, seeing a chance to escape whatever speech Ino was about to give Sasuke slipped off to his car. While he was putting the keys in the ignition, he saw Naruto speaking to Hinata. A blush was on her face and he couldn't make out what they were talking about. They were probably laughing at him, knowing how his best friend liked to insult him (only when he wasn't around so that Naruto's ass wouldn't be kicked) and Hinata... she 'nothing'ed him

It was an insult. He'd be annoyed if she 'loved' him, indifferent if she 'hated' him. But the girl actually appeared to have no emotional feelings for him what so-ever. She had moaned twice when he kissed her, but that was obviously just a physical reaction. How could a girl nothing him! Even the girls who hated him had a reason why (they used to love him and he wasn't very kind when it came to the hearts of fan girls), so they still held an emotional passion for him (...even if it wasn't the same as the other girls).

While Hinata got snacks out of her cupboards Naruto awkwardly waited in the doorway.  
"A-are you alright N-Naruto?"  
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." He dismissed, he wasn't quite sure what he was doing here... He came here to tell Hinata something important but found that he couldn't do so whenever she looked at him- he'd purposely avoided her the rest of the day (it wasn't hard, she was in the Nurse's room for the rest of the day, Ino was the one who'd been sent for work that the two of them could do in absence of class). Naruto'd planned to tell her his realisation and leave, but she was such a kind hearted girl. Would it break her apart? Would he leave her crying like Sasuke had made her earlier? Most importantly... would Ino kick his ass afterwards? The blonde girl would probably get Sakura involved as well. That would hurt.  
"Y-you sure? You're s-staring into space..."  
"I just got a lot of stuff on my mind is all."  
"Well... um... If you d-do want to talk about it, I- I'm... I am here for you." Hinata flashed him a little smile that he couldn't help but return. Would he see this smile after he announced what he had to say?

"SASUKE! How _dare_ you! I was in the middle of a conversation with you and you vanished. So rude!" How did Ino know where he lived? "Open the door Uchiha before I kick it down!" But Sasuke wasn't going to open the door, not to any crazy girl. Ino was no exception- even if she was no longer a fan girl; she was still what he would class as 'crazy as hell'. He heard a click of the front door and looked out into the hallway to see who'd answered it.

Itachi. Sasuke was seething inside. Stupid brother.  
"Ehh, Ino. It's been so long since I've seen you." His silky voice made Ino blush.  
"Hello Itachi..." she said shyly, "I need to talk to Sasuke..."  
"He hasn't been giving you any trouble has he? If he has I'll sort him out for you." The girl chuckled.  
"It's okay Itachi, I only need to pass on a message from a friend."  
"It's unlike you to be messenger girl Ino, ne?"  
"Yeah, but I love Hina, and she's totally shy so I'm going to have to do it for her."  
"Hina? Hinata? The Hyuuga girl?"  
"Yeah, Sasuke's totally heads-over for her." Itachi chuckled "Well in that case, come in Ino. He's in the front room moping."  
"I'M _NOT _'MOPING'!" Sasuke exclaimed. Ino and Itachi shared a knowing look.  
"Right... Sasuke Uchiha doesn't 'mope'." Itachi teased. "Ever..."

He sighed again. That was the thirteenth sigh Naruto'd made since he entered Hinata's home. She was really worried for her crush. Never before had she seen him so... un-Naruto-ish. He was so detached and obviously in his own world, he jumped when she touched his hand- not a good reaction after she'd built up so much confidence to attempt to console him.  
"N-Naruto-"  
"I'm really sorry Hinata..."  
"I-it's okay really..."  
"No. No it ain't." He grabbed her hands and her blush reappeared. "Hinata, I_ know_." He sighed again. Number fourteen. "But I can't do this, I can't return your feelings. You are a _lovely_ girl, don't get me wrong. It's just that... Sakura is the girl for me. I'd wait forever for her, I can't just keep you in the background hurting. And I can't go out with you either... it wouldn't be fair on you _or_ Sasuke."  
"Wha-wh-what?" Tears were threatening to roll down Hinata's heart shaped face.  
"I can't think of you as more than my cute little friend. You're off limits Hina, I can't share those feelings with you, even if you probably are the only person who s suited for me. I'm just going to end up hurting you... well, hurting you more." He embraced her in a hug. "And Sasuke really does like you. He's just an idiot. Probably not as big an idiot as me, but he's up there." His attempt at humor didn't go down very well.  
"B-but I-" Hinata couldn't even start to think how she should end that sentence. "I-I..." In the mean time Naruto had let go of her and was heading towards the front door. She ran after him. "N-Naruto, please." Her hands grabbed onto the back of his school blazer and he halted. "Please Naruto. C-can't y-you at least let me... let me c-c-confess?" Naruto didn't know what that would signify but he stood waiting, scooter helmet and keys in hand.

"What do you want Ino? You said it was about Hinata."  
"Yeah. Could you leave her alone for a bit?"  
"Is she really /that/ 'hurt' about today."  
"Hey, you be the one found kissing someone when your crush walks in and notice that they don't care... Hinata's sensitive, she probably feels like she's betraying herself. Besides, even if she won't admit it, she's angry at Naruto not you."  
"Why at the idiot? Like eleven years of rejection wasn't enough, I'd already hate him by now."  
"Because he didn't care, doesn't care about anyone romantically but Sakura. It's like a stupid square, you like Hinata, she likes Naruto, he likes Sakura and she likes you. No one is willing to settle with the person who likes them because they think a chance is there that the other person will start liking them. I think you're all idiots to be honest. But Hinata is a naive-idiot. You _stole_ her first kiss you know."  
"I suspected."  
"Alright. But that's all I've got to say, anyways. I am going to see Shika. Seriously think about what I said, give her of space."

"I-I... like you Naruto. E-ever since... since p-primary school, b-but I was too shy t-to say anything... A-and I l-loved you silently... A-and you a-always made me so h-happy when you'd pay attention to m-me." Naruto thought she was finished and so he took a few more steps to the door. "I'm _not_ finished!" Hinata exclaimed in a tone that almost scared him. She'd appeared to get the confession out of the way and was now reacting in anger to his rejection. "I loved you for_ years_! and you'd always build me up with all your, all y-your hugs and k-kind words 'Oh, Hinata, you'd make a great wife!' or 'you look really cute today Hina!' b-but you'd always bring me back d-down the second Sakura was a-around. You- you'd always stop other people from hurting me, b-but it was you that hurt me the m-most." Naruto hung his head, after all this emotion was being let out of Hinata he couldn't find it in himself to look her in the eyes. "I-it's always been you! I d-did _everything_! I-I did everything I c-could to make you l-like me! I- I helped you with your h-homework, I c-cooked, I cooked for you!" She grabbed her hair "I e-even grew my hair! I gr-grew my hair for you! I let Ino choose c-clothes for me w-when we went out as a g-group. And nothing worked!" Her tiny balled fists hit him in the chest then gripped on to his shirt. Her knees were already week, the person she was yelling at was the thing keeping her supported. "Y-you don't even n-notice me. Y-you cheered when you found out someone liked me... like... l-like you didn't even care for, o-or even c-consider my feelings... l-like you couldn't w-wait to get rid of me."  
"Hinata it's not like that..."  
"Then w-what was it like? E-even now you're trying to get me to go out with S-sasuke!"  
"I just don't want to hurt you anymore..." he mumbled.  
"T-then j-just stop. St-stop being so... so, so fucking _nice_! You're the worst." Naruto'd never heard Hinata swear... he'd never heard her talk so much. And here she was, spilling her heart to him... and getting angry. She stood on her tiptoes and she still wasn't as tall as him. "You're the worst... And I... I'm an idiot." she whispered. The tears were all gone from her eyes, but the streaks they left on he cheeks were still there. "I am an idiot for loving you." He wanted to reach out and hug her but she told him to stop being so nice to her.  
"Hina-" The short girl had closed her eyes, she looked much calmer than her tone suggested, and then soft lips crushed his own. It was a fleeting moment, lasting maybe two seconds. After all that she just wanted to kiss him? He let her, and then he left.

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Oookay. Was the week wait worth it? Would you rather I'd update it everyday... though to be honest, I've not gotten past the next chapter. Which is focusing more of the emotions of other characters seeing as I've followed Hinata around basically all of the story so far. I guess that's just showing how much in love with Hinata I am. To answer some reviews, specifically about the introduction of other characters, to be honest, I don't know. If I throw in a character, I really want them there, not just for you guys, they really need to fit into the role I'm placing, so whichever character fits. Constructive reviews. Hugs, loves, kisses and that.


	6. Chapter 6

They made me

Kawaii Kabu

Back after another week (half an hour earlier). Okay, this chapter I'm trying to investigate the girls. I already explained in a small AN what I want Ino to represent but I wanted to get Sakura re-involved, I mean... if Hinata's going to have any compitition it's most likely going to be Sakura; Sakura wants Sasuke, Sasuke wants Hinata. Why didn't anyone tell me my seperators vanished? I was reading my live preview after posting the last chapter and noticed. Hopefully the separators'll work now if I change the key.

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After his rejection my life was empty.

I have no reason to get up in the morning, there's no point in trying to please someone who has no feelings of the sort what-so-ever for me. But... how did he know? Everyone said Naruto was too dense to realise my affections unless he was told.

_Who_ would tell him?

Ino promised she'd wait for me to do it in my own time... Shikamaru didn't feel the need to get involved in other peoples lives and Chouji was too nice to put me in that position. That left about... two hundred possible suspects, Sasuke, Sakura and the rest of the fan girls.

"Hinata get up. Dad'll be pissed if you miss another day of school. He says it's childish." Hanabi called from the door. Oh yeah, it was the morning... I had been ignoring my alarm clock for the last fifteen minutes; it had probably woken up Hanabi.  
"I d-don't want to Hanabi... I-I can't f-face h-him..." I can't face anyone. I heard their whispers. I know they were all laughing at me.

.

"Sakura. Come over here." Ino demanded. She pulled her pink friend over on the wheelie chairs in the library. "You feeling ok?"  
"No, not really. Sasuke not only hates me but announced it in front of our year. You feel ok?"  
"Jeez. No need to get snappy, I'm just _trying_ to be your best friend."  
"If you were my best friend you wouldn't told Hinata to go on the date with Sasuke."  
"You know about that?" The blonde giggled nervously, "In my defense it was to get Naruto to notice her... and kinda get back at Sasuke for doing what he did to you."  
"And she agreed?"  
"Well..."  
"Ino!" The pink haired girl screamed. Argh! This was just like Ino to force Hinata into something like that. "You know what she's like!"  
"Yeah..."  
"Where is Hinata anyway?" Sakura hadn't seen her following Naruto around lately, was she ill?  
"She's at home..."  
"Why?"  
"Sasuke kissed her and Naruto rejected her."  
"That idiot did what? But why? She's so nice!"  
"He's hung up over you. Duh."  
"Urrh that Knucklehead! I told him I don't like him that way!"  
"But you know what he's like." Ino scolded, "Only hears what he wants, tunnel vision, incredibly blatant when it comes to the person he likes." Ino spun around on her own wheeled chair. There was no teacher, it was free study, and Sakura had finally acted like her pre-humiliation self. Homework was at the top of Sakura's priorities, that and picking up the pieces of her broken heart and reputation. The pink haired girl looked at her watch. Three twenty-two. The bell should have gone two minutes ago.  
"Hey, I'm going to see Hinata after school, do you want to come with?"  
"I'll see what I can do, but I'm not promising anything Pig."  
"As long as you're considering it..." Maybe she should go and visit Hinata... It had been a week since she'd seen her in the school ground area.

.

The Hyuuga house was empty, Hanabi had not yet come home from school and her father was still at work. Hinata had chosen this time to go downstairs and find something drowned in chocolate to munch upon. Not even heartbreak could ruin the seductive taste of the creamy Belgium chocolate she had hidden from her family (in case of emotional emergency); she had taken the fifth bar from her stash when someone knocked on the door. She checked the clock on her mobile, it was five past four. Hanabi was at some extra-curricular event, her father and mother were on a trip visiting relatives who sent presents but who were very rarely seen. The person knocked at the door again. She sighed, if her pajamas didn't freak out whoever was at the door, her red eyes would. Maybe they'd run away screaming of a ghost and no one else would bother her.

.

Sakura came to the conclusion that Hinata looked a mess. She'd answered the doors in old, well worn childish pajamas with red eyes; streak marks on her cheeks and a bar of chocolate in her other hand.  
"Hi-"

.

She was here. That girl Naruto likes. Why is she here? She shouldn't be here! I know why Ino didn't want me to go talk to Sakura after Sasuke's public confession. Seeing the girl just made her analyze everything about her that Naruto would like, then see the parts that she obviously lacked herself.

Ino was a wise girl. She wouldn't have wished this feeling on worthlessness on anyone, and yet Sakura was causing her to feel this twisted self-hating emotion.

.

"Hinata! Open the door!" Sakura yelled as she pounded on the front door. Hinata had looked at her for a few seconds before slamming it shut, no doubt there were new tears forming in her eyes. Her efforts to reach Hinata proved useless, and helped by a smaller girl with brown hair pushing her to the side and pulling out a key.

When the door opened Hinata was long gone from the corridor.

"So, which one of Hinata's friends are you?" The girl said, "I haven't seen you here before."  
"I... I'm not really a friend... I just came to see if she's ok."  
"Well if you're not a friend I don't know why I ought to be helping you... So..."  
"No! I need to talk to her..."  
"Did you do something to Hinata?" the younger girl said with narrowed eyes. "Because if you did... I'm going to have to ask you to leave our house."  
"That's not it. I just thought... maybe she'd like to talk to someone who's gone through the same thing." Sakura reasoned, "I mean- the whole Sasuke liking Hinata thing, then Hinata liking Naruto thing..."  
"Oh and don't tell me that blond idiot who was here 2 weeks ago likes you." Sakura nodded slowly, she was fast this girl. "I don't know why, your forehead is huge. Maybe that's why Sasuke doesn't like you." Strike one. If this brat mentioned her forehead two more times, Sakura would have to punch her in the head. "I mean seriously its so friggin wide." Strike two. "I haven't seen anything that big since... Since I looked at the forehead of that Giant Buddha statue in Japan in that postcard my cousin Neji sent us." Strike three. Sakura's fist went forward on impulse, and was caught swiftly by Hanabi's small palm. "Listen pinky, my dad raised me to be a fighter, if you want to 'help' my sister as you so claim, you won't get on _my_ nerves, because I will kick your ass." What kind of insane twelve year old was this?

.

"Sasuke, come over here a moment." Ino commanded, no doubt her hanging out with her man-slaves Chouji and Shikamaru meant that she thought she could order anyone around. Stupid girl.  
"What do you want Ino?"  
"You know how your lovely brother Itachi is throwing a party tonight?"  
"I'm not getting you in." Ino scoffed, like she needed him to get into a party.  
"I already have my invite; Deidara gave it to me 'Sassy-pants'." She teased.  
"What do you want?"  
"You want to talk to Hinata about what happened right? And I want Hinata to cheer up just a teeny tiny little bit. If I bring her, and you can make her feel like she isn't some Sakura failure, I will lift my Hinata-ban on you."  
"And what about your so called best friend?"  
"As much as I love Sakura, she really needs to get over you- But! You are _still_ a dick and need to apologize to her." She then hugged him. "I'm glad we had this talk Sasuke, I'll see you later tonight."

.

Ino rang the doorbell for Hinata's house. Seconds later Hanabi answered the door, every time it was the same thing, did Hanabi live to open doors?  
"Small fry!"  
"Blondie!" They high-fived.  
"Where's your sister?"  
"Inside with some pink-haired, wide foreheaded pig who ate all of my popcorn talking about 'heartbreak' and blah-"  
"Sakura? I didn't think she'd actually come!"  
"My thoughts exactly." Hanabi said, "She even tried to punch me, I was going to knock her out but then Hinata came out of her room and said I should leave them to talk or something."  
"Well. I'm going to invade because I am taking Hinata out tonight" Hanabi's eyes gleamed innocently and Ino picked that up at once, "And no. You can't come with us. It's big kid fun Small fry."  
"Blondie's so harsh."  
"Small fry's got to deal with it." Ino patted Hanabi on the head and walked in "Are they in the front room or-"  
"Hinata's room." Hanabi called as she locked the door. Ino raced up the stairs as Hanabi headed for the kitchen to make some more popcorn.

.

"I really don't like Naruto that way Hinata..." Sakura started, "If I had it my way he'd like you instead. It really gets annoying after a while... Always yelling 'Sakura! Sakura! Sasuke's being mean!' you know -"  
"H-he was just trying to show you that h-he l-likes you." Hinata cut in, "A-and you-you're very hurtful t-to Naruto, you don't n-need to resort to violence."  
"But he won't listen any other way!" Sakura exclaimed. She'd originally come over to share sob stories with the Hyuuga and make herself feel slightly better over the Sasuke incident. Do the whole 'kindred spirit' and 'lonely hearts' thing.  
"Y-you haven't tried any other wa-ways... you, treat him almost as b-bad as Sasuke treats you..."  
"No I don't!"  
"E-even Sasuke doesn't h-hit you when you grab onto him... S-s-sometimes it looks as though he w-wants to..." With this Sakura was insulted. The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them.  
"Yeah, well at least Naruto notices me." Despite there being no physical activity involved Hinata looked as though she'd just been slapped. She opened her mouth to say something but then Ino interrupted. Their blond friend stood in the doorway dressed to kill. Arms crossed and pressed tightly under her breasts she gave Sakura a bone-chilling glare.  
"What was that Forehead? You may be my best friend, but Hinata is definitely the nicer one of you two."  
"Pig, I was just trying to help." Sakura stated in a huff, adopted a pout and brattish manner.  
"Just say sorry, you didn't see her insulting you about how Sasuke prefers her over you. And hurry up about it, I'm taking her out tonight and I want her to look bangin'... but not as much as me." she said with a playful wink. Sakura sighed.  
"I'm sorry I took a dig at you." she droned, Ino nodded wisely.  
"I-Ino~" Hinata whined. "That wasn't v-very nice, f-for you t-to say that to y-your best fr-friend."  
"She's a big girl, she can handle herself, can't you Sakura?"  
"Yeah." Sakura twirled a strand of hair around her finger, "So where you taking Hinata?"  
"Itachi's having a party. Deidara gave me the invite."  
"Ino- you know we're not allowed to socialize with staff!" Sakura complained, Hinata nodded in agreement. "He could totally get into trouble for that. And he's the only good-looking male teacher in the school who doesn't teach P.E!"  
"Deidara's not even going to be there, he's going out with some class reunion dude."

.

Ino. Ino, Ino, Ino, Ino, Ino. Sakura sighed, headstrong Ino. Brash Ino. The pink haired girl was watching as Ino flew through Hinata's wardrobe looking for something 'suitable' for a university party. Apparently Itachi wanted to meet Hinata, Sakura couldn't help but be jealous of the smaller dark haired girl; not only was Sasuke crushing on her but his family showed interest as well! It was so unfair. But like Ino said, it's not like Hinata asked for it like some of the girls in their school, and she was actually tolerable. For someone who didn't share the same interests as her- meaning Sasuke and Medicine... Hinata was as decent as they come; she listened, she was nice. Her only bad point was her stutter. No one wanted to talk to someone who'd trip over their words every three seconds.  
"Hey... Hinata." She whispered, "Is it true that Ino _made_ you go out with Sasuke?" Thankfully Ino was too busy with fashion on her mind to pay attention to the two girls sitting on Hinata's bed.  
"S-she didn't make me... but everyone m-m-made me feel like I had to." She went out with Sasuke because of peer pressure? That's ludicrous! Sasuke was the most perfect being on the planet, he had good grades, and he was cute and he was probably good at everything he felt like trying. "But you could've just ignored them."  
"I-Ino thought it w-would cheer you u-up if S-Sasuke got treated the s-same way..." Well Ino was wrong... Okay Ino was totally right. Sakura was caught between loving and despising Sasuke. All the other times he rejected her she could allow- persistence and optimism always prevail. But that last embarrassing encounter. It made her want to punch something, normally Naruto was nearby so he had become in a way, her Sasuke-replacement punching bag- she wouldn't dare touch a head on Sasuke's perfect head.  
"And you're okay with that?"  
"N-not really..." Hinata grabbed onto a piece of her duvet and squeezed it, she wasn't looking Sakura in the eye. Sakura remembered a time when she used to be the quiet, weird girl... Her situation was much different from Hinata's: she was quiet because when she spoke people ignored her or teased her about her wide-set forehead, children were cruel. Ino was good for her, she helped her gain confidence, maybe Ino was just trying to do to Hinata what she had already done for Sakura and get her accepted by those she really wanted to be accepted by- for Sakura it was their classmates, for Hinata it was Naruto.

"I'm sorry about Naruto, I really have tried not to give him the wrong idea."  
"Y-you didn't do anything wrong. I-it doesn't matter a-anyway. Y-you can s-still try for S-Sasuke, I-I think you'd make a good couple."  
"So would you and Naruto, but I guess those guys are just stupid. But seriously, are you telling me you don't have any romantic feelings for Sasuke? Rumour is you two were making out in that empty classroom." Hinata squeaked which caught the attention of Ino. That's so cute; she's like a little mouse. Sakura smiled softly, she felt as though a stranger s baby just smiled at her- even if you didn't want to look like a freak you always ended up smiling back at the baby. "Tell me what was it like?"  
"I-it was... ni-nice?" Sakura sighed... It would take a lot of effort to get Hinata not to tell people what they wanted to hear, she was over-sensitive to other peoples feelings. "B-but it's not going to happen again." Hinata mumbled sadly, she thought Sakura didn't hear that little sentence.  
"Why's that?" She probed, please don't say Hinata wasn't developing feelings for him now of all times.  
"I-Ino t-thought I could get N-Naruto's attention b-by being with S-Sasuke... B-but he's made it obvious h-he doesn't like me."

.

Oh. Dear. Lord. Hinata was a normal girl! She was willing to use someone to get what_ she_ wanted. Helpful, selfless Hinata Hyuuga finally took a stand for herself. Step one of Ino's magical transformation. Sakura was relieved that there was not more competition, but also she was slightly ashamed of Ino for allowing Hinata to start thinking that way... That sort of idea she expected from Naruto. She tutted.  
"Hinata, that's not how you'd get Naruto to pay attention to you... He's like a big kid but he's like a puppy, really loving. Say Sasuke is his 'master' or something- Naruto'd never willingly want to hurt him, so the make Naruto jealous wouldn't work. You just need to be yourself." Hinata's face was downcast for most of the talk, "Besides, if you hurt Sasuke Naruto'd probably ignore you. Pack mentality and that." Hinata nodded, through her pale eyes Sakura could see the gears whirring and clicking into place.

.

Ino pretended to not listen to the heart to heart moment that Sakura and Hinata were having. Hinata didn't listen to her and had more or less ignored all of her phone calls the past week. Talk about a plan blowing up in your face. Even Hanabi couldn't get through to her older sister. Who would have thought the fan girl (though intelligent didn't present such a face to her peers) would get through to the shy girl. A smirk formed on her face, the idea that she was helping the two form a little friendship, ah she was such a grand puppeteer. She really wasn't tearing through Hinata's wardrobe, she already new what she was going to dress Hinata in. Itachi said that she ought to dress casual... Ino had other plans. There was a delicious body con dress that Hinata had never worn... she said it was too revealing bless her, it just showed a tiny bit of cleavage... and OK it hung on her like a second skin, and maybe it was at least five inches above her knee... but she'd look good. And University boys would probably treat Hinata more like a girl than Naruto would but would slowly build up her confidence with compliments rather than just embarrass her by Sasuke's girl-ignorant statements.  
"A-ahh, thank you Sakura... Y-you've given me something to think a-about."  
"Yeah, so you think I'll maybe see you in school next week?"  
"M-maybe..."  
"Okay, well... Have fun at Itachi's thing. Bye Pig, bye Hinata."  
"A-ah, let me s-see you out." Sakura waved at Ino who beamed back, Hinata shuffled after her and Ino set out her chosen outfit on the now empty bed. Hinata back to housewife mode? Yup, she was feeling like her regular self. This was very, very good. Stage one of mission: _Complete._

* * *

_Alright._ Until the next update I bid you adieu. I don't want Hinata and Sakura to be secretly hating on eachother, so I decided to have Ino be a cheeky little puppet master and start a plan in action. Erm... Ino is really in the thick of everything... I guess it's because I can use her to fill the spaces between chracters so well. So flexible in that way, now I love her (not as much as Hinata, but she's getting up there). Yes Ino and Itachi are aquainted... I'm going to reveal how in one of the next chapters anyway so I won't spoil it here. Constructive reviews s'il vout plait.


	7. Chapter 7

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Here's the party scene! Woo! Also, Summer Holidays. I am so finishing this fiction way before the 1st of September which is when I have to go back (major suckage!) Weekly installment is up not at some insanely early/late time.

* * *

Hinata stepped out of Ino's father's car. Friday night was his chauffer duty night. From the ride to the Uchiha house, Hinata noticed that Inochi and his daughter were very much alike, there was much love between them; Ino was a certified 'daddy's girl' and Inochi doted on his 'little piglet'. The blonde girl followed after kissing her father on the cheek and waving him goodbye as he drove back home.

They both turned to face the Uchiha house in all its University student filled glory. University parties. Everyone would be, and therefore assume that they were 18+, there'd be no embarrassing pictures posted of you by people you know, floating around school with the immature rumors that they walked hand in hand with. Despite cheering up after Sakura's visit, Hinata was not ready for a crowd. Ino didn't take no for an answer.

.

Itachi observed his party from the banister of the third floor. It was the forbidden level of the house for the guests. His annoying little brother had not yet come to stand guard- all of the precious family heirlooms were locked in each of the family member's bedrooms. No doubt some idiot would crash the party and think they could raid or break whatever they wanted to. University parties were supposed to be more grown up... the Uni students just acted like teenagers. Finally Sasuke trudged up the stairs with his blonde accomplice in tow.  
"We're here already." Sasuke said, "Go enjoy your party or whatever."  
"I think I will Sasuke..." Itachi headed down the stairs, "Remember, don't leave this spot. Some people are just not to be trusted." Sasuke scoffed at his older brother and Naruto just sighed. They weren't idiots... at least not complete idiots in Naruto's case and intellectually when it came to Sasuke. When it came to emotions they were probably on the same level as a twelve year old.

Sasuke stood in the area Itachi had left only moments ago. Hunched over he watched as more guests entered his home. How Itachi knew so many people was beyond him- Itachi hardly ever left the house. Constantly 'studying' only to excel further than he could if he just sat back and went with the flow as Sasuke did- the Uchiha were almost all naturally smart people. Naruto was sprawled out on the top most stairs, like a trip wire waiting to cause unsuspecting guests trying to sneak a peek at the 'forbidden zone' up on their faces.

Why did most of his brother's friends have to have insanely coloured hair? He'd not have noticed her otherwise. But no, Itachi had to make friends with freaks and fan girls. Sasuke glared at the back of his older brother's head as he talked to Hinata and Ino. Naruto hadn't yet noticed, the blond was probably in a dreamland involving Sakura.

_Gross_. Sakura.

Sad thing is... she'd actually be a tolerable person if she didn't shriek in her supposedly 'cute' voice all the time... and if she wasn't a fan girl. So what Naruto saw in her Sasuke saw, it just didn't affect him at all. What's the point in being pretty if you can act uglier than Medusa looked? Itachi kissed Hinata's hand; she blushed much deeper than Sasuke had ever managed to make her, even when he was abusing her neck with his lips. Stupid Itachi.

.

"I-it's nice to meet you a-also."  
"Mmh. Sasuke told me a lot about you Hinata, he didn't tell me that you were so mature-looking." Itachi said suggestively, "If you hadn't have come in with Ino here, I'd have thought you were a plus one of one of my other guests." The compliment made Hinata blush, she'd just met this boy and he was already complimenting her body. But he wasn't doing it in a way that scared her, rather more in such a way that she felt proud of her curves.  
"T-thank you?" Itachi was charming... If Itachi was his idol, why didn't Sasuke turn out a little more like him? Ino smiled at Itachi and suggested that he should go and get them something to drink.

Itachi walked through to the Kitchen, Ino specified something non-alcoholic for Hinata, and that she herself would have Malibu and Coke. The only thing non-alcoholic was the punch in the front room, but no doubt someone had already spiked that. Luckily Kisame was making up a new batch of punch.  
"Which of the punches is gonna be less alcoholic?"  
"Probably the one I'm making now." His blue haired friend replied, "Why? Alcohol virgin in the house?"  
"Yeah."  
"Girl?"  
"Yeah-_ underage _girl. Don't even think about getting her ratted." Kisame sighed; Itachi never let him have any fun.  
"So I can't put a lotta rum in the rum punch then?"  
"No."

.

_Hello, hello baby you called I can't hear I thing. I have got no service in the club you say-say. _

_What- what what did you say? Are you breaking up on me? Sorry I can not hear you I'm kinda busy_.

"K-kinda buseh! K-kinda buseh!" Ino chanted along with half of the room. Hinata was then dragged on to the dance floor, not like she minded. This was one of her favourite songs.

.

Bored. I am bored. So bored. Look at Itachi's stupid guests, all of them dancing to Gaga. Trust Itachi to make friends with idiots who are 'gaga for Gaga.' Naruto's just sitting on that step like an idiot. He probably wouldn't notice if I left him to 'guard' upstairs by himself. Screw it. I'm going off to watch these people make fools out of themselves. I'm sure the view from the balcony is not doing them justice. As I stepped over Naruto he grabbed my leg. When did he decide to act ninja?  
"What?"  
"Where you going?"  
"Toilet." Lie, a blatant lie, but he's going to buy it.  
"Don't you have one in your room?"  
"It's locked, Itachi's got the keys, and I m going downstairs."  
"Fine. Just don't leave me bored here on my Larry."  
"Whatever Naruto; just don't let anyone up here. Itachi'll screw."

I charged down the stairs into the kitchen, Itachi's best friend was mixing drinks.  
"Sasuke, what can I do you for?"  
"Smirnoff and Coke."  
"We're gonna run out of Coke. Everyone wants to mix it with something."  
"Yeah, but not everyone put in money for the drinks your mixing."  
"Fair." he stated, I waited for two seconds while he poured my drink.  
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be guarding upstairs?"  
"Naruto can do that by himself, I was bored."  
"Never forget to tell me how lucky I am that you're not _my_ best friend."  
"We prefer the term, 'arch rival'. Get it right." I sipped on my mixed drink. Good stuff Vodka and Coke. As usual the girls were looking at me, flash them a smirk and they go crazy; 'oh he's definitely Itachi's little brother' or something similar. Most girls were really annoying, bedazzled by my looks, but hey; I'm gorgeous as they come.

"Sassy!" Well it's not Deidara who's calling me? Blonde hair? Ponytail- oh its _Female_ Deidara... Why is Ino at Itachi's party, everyone else here acts a little more mature than she does. By a little, I mean a lot. "Hey, Hinata's having _fun_ here you know. Maybe I don't need you to talk to her." She chirped. What? No! I want to talk to Hinata.

.

After Sasuke left him on his 'Larry' lonesome. Naruto got bored easily; he waited for five minutes, then ten... It got to fifteen and then he was worried. Was Sasuke taking a dump? Was the queue for the downstairs toilet really that bad?

Well he was going downstairs to check. It's not like anyone can break into the _locked_ bedrooms. Itachi was just being stupidly obsessive of his possessions; he probably just hadn't hidden a porno stash or something and didn't want any of his fan girls to think he was a total pervert. Sighing Naruto trudged down the stairs to the second floor of the Uchiha house, sure enough as there is for every party, there was a line for the toilet.

"Oi, how long've you been waiting here?" he asked the person nearest to the door, it was a red headed guy with blue eyes, he'd met Naruto once before but the blond was not good with names and he'd totally forgotten it.  
"Like five minutes why?"  
"You seen Sasuke?"  
"Last I saw him he was drinking with some blonde." the guy shrugged. The door opened and a pair of girls walked out, the both of them looked as though they'd just gone in to reapply their make-up but that didn't stop Naruto thinking perverted thoughts of a pair of girls in a toilet together. The guy disappeared into the toilet and then Naruto thought he'd go find Sasuke and beat him up for leaving him bored and alone on the top floor.

.

Hinata was dancing with Itachi, after Lady Gaga fans had left Ino vacated the dance floor and Itachi approached her with her drink. He said it was a sort of fruit punch, but it did taste a little weird. But in a good way. She had been twirled around by Itachi so many times that she was sure there were other girls glaring at her. She giggled. It was just like at school when everyone found out Sasuke liked the 'weirdo'. She sipped on her third drink of the night. This fruit punch was _really_ good. And Itachi was really nice about 'protecting' her from those boys that were staring at her.

_Oooh! I can't go any further than this. Oooh! I want you so badly it's my only wish!_

"This song makes me really happy." Hinata told Itachi.  
"Why's that?" he asked.  
"I-it reminds me of Naruto."  
"So you like Naruto... that's not something Sasuke told me."  
"W-well... It doesn't matter anyway, he r-rejected me."  
"He's a fool. I'd say yes if you rang that bell." Hinata blushed again. Was it just her or was it getting just a little hotter in the room. Itachi was so nice and caring and... And he talked to her and listened so well. After half an hour more of dancing with him she felt like they could be really good friends. Maybe it was the secret alcohol in her drink but Hinata was feeling really brave. She leaned into Itachi's chest and his arms rested on her shoulders.  
"I-I'm really tired... Is there s-somewhere I can lie down?" Itachi smiled and took her hand. He then lead her upstairs. For some reason unknown to her, when they reached the top floor he sighed and muttered 'Trust Sasuke'. Was Sasuke supposed to be here? Hm. Either way, it was better for Hinata if she didn't have to see the scarier Uchiha. He led her to a door and fumbled with a bunch of keys trying to open it's lock. It appeared that he couldn't find the right key- or just was really angry. He kicked the door open and it revealed a dark blue room.

"You can stay in here for a bit, this is my room. I'll go tell Ino where you are... Come back down when you feel like it." Hinata beamed. He was so nice!  
"T-thank you." Itachi walked out, but not after closing the door as far as it would go. Hinata walked over to the double bed in the centre, it looked really inviting. Hell, there was even a teddy bear there just _begging_ to be cuddled. But before she flopped onto the bed she decided to explore the room a little more. There appeared to be an en suite bathroom opposite the dark mahogany cupboard and on the bookshelf there were just lots of family pictures. Most of them involved a dark-haired woman who she assumed was Itachi and Sasuke's mother and a small child who- now that she thought about it, looked a lot like Sasuke did- only this Sasuke smiled! Sasuke looked really cute when he was little, those chubby cheeks and that grin he gave the camera man... maybe he wasn't as bad as he seemed.

She really ought to apologize about attempting to use him; he was still a human... even if he acted like an iceberg.

.

"Sasuke I said not to leave the top floor!" Itachi yelled at his younger brother. Sasuke was currently sitting with Naruto, the both of them and beer bottles in hand and were hanging out with some females. Or rather the females were watching them.  
"What's the point in staying up there?" Naruto slurred, "We'd 'a' missed the party and the girls! S'not fair to keep 'em to yourself." The girls giggled at Naruto's comment, he wasn't as cute as the two Uchihas but he was funny and looked like one of those 'knights in shining amour' from the princess films. Sasuke hadn't said a word of course, just nodded lazily once or twice in Naruto's speech.  
"Well I just went up there and your room door was kicked open Sasuke." Itachi said with a smirk. His little brother's eyes instantly lit up, he stormed off upstairs drink in hand. Those fan girls better not have crossed the line. What if they found his bear? What if they thought- well screw what they thought! They just better not touch any of his stuff.

Hinata cuddled the pillow closer. It smelt really good, if it wasn't from the noise of the party, she'd probably already be asleep in this perfect bed. The door opened but she didn't look up, she was expecting it to be Ino. She didn't expect to be thrown off the bed.

"When will you fangir- Hinata? The hell are you doing in my room?" Sasuke's face had paled slightly and he pulled the groggy girl up from the floor with a lot of force.  
"Y-your room?" she murmured, "Itachi said this was his-" Sasuke growled. Itachi. Did he really doubt Sasuke's skill in talking to girls that he decided to trap them together.  
"Itachi lied." He said flatly. Hinata looked at him with her big doe-like eyes. Her facial expression seemed to be objecting against his previous statement. No doubt, like all girls who met Itachi- she probably thought the sunlight came out of his backside. Losing his crush to his brother great. Hinata closed her eyes and leant into him. The shock of her willing contact almost caused him to miss what she was saying.  
"I-I d-don't feel so good. My head's throbbing and I-" Her body racked as she wretched multiple times. Oh god. He was holding her and she was going to vomit all over his clean room.

Sasuke was a clean freak. He cleaned his room every night- Itachi thought he had a slight OCD when it came to order and would often make jokes or play pranks on his little brother by dirtying his bathroom and closet. No matter how much he liked Hinata, he preferred a cleaner room and ushered her to bathroom at lightening speed and held her hair back as she threw up into the toilet. That would be annoying to clean the next day. Hinata rested an arm on the toilet seat and then rested her head on the arm. Good thing he cleaned the toilet... Hinata would've gotten germs all over her... really _great_ dress' sleeve as well as her face. He watched her, looking for signs from her body indicating another episode of vomiting.  
"You feeling better Hyuuga?" She slightly nodded and looked at him with drooping eyes.

.

"Itachi, you are such a genius! Sending Sasuke up to see Hina~" Ino sighed into her drink. She let loose a shrill cackle. "Oh we should totally go into the match making service." Itachi smirked. Ino was a nice kid. Amusing to be around, Sasuke referred to her as 'female Deidara' and now that she was 'merry not drunk' he could see why. Then she pouted, emotions changing faster than the drink in her hands. "I miss my Shika." She turned to face him, "He lives around the corner from here you know... Watch Hinata for me? I'll be back when the party's done." She pleaded. Itachi nodded. Who was he to keep Ino to himself? "Kyaa~ you re the best! If only Sassy acted a teeny bit more like you he might actually get Hinata to like him s'more."  
"'S'more'? You keeping something from me Ino?" Itachi teased.  
"Well come on! Every girl's got to at least appreciate the hotness you two radiate!" Ino jumped up. "Well. I'll be back later. Don't-get-into-any-funny-business-you." she accused with a pointed finger. Itachi sighed at her behaviour as she vanished through the crowd.

.

Sasuke had placed Hinata down on his bed again.  
"You throwing up is your body telling you that you shouldn't have drunk so much alcohol." He stated matter of factly. Hinata stared confused at him.  
"B-but I didn't have any." She wined. "Itachi said it was a-a... a fruit punch." That'd explain a bit. Kisame had made his specialty 'rum punch' for the party, the non alcoholic punch was spiked with vodka within half an hour which left the second, alcohol containing (which was weaker than normal) bowl of punch. She could have drank either of the two, how stupid was Itachi to get the girl drunk and not inform her there was alcohol in her drink.  
"Yeah sure. Maybe you just ate something wrong..." He suggested, maybe if he agreed with her thoughts she'd not stress him out by raising her voice and accidently igniting yet another 'Sasuke raping Hinata' type rumor. He got enough of that in school, he didn't need to be the talk of the entire town's student population.  
"Mmm." Hinata moaned "I-I haven't been e-eating properly... t-that might be it."  
"That's stupid. Just because one idiot rejects you doesn't mean you have to bunk off of school and stop looking after yourself."  
"B-But it h-hurt."  
"You didn't see Sakura bunking and I was a hell lot worse to her than Naruto ever was. I already know everyone thinks I'm a douche. Ino even 'banned' me from you because of last week."

Hinata rolled over, she wasn't facing him anymore. Great, he'd offended her. He simply walked over to the other side of the bed. She treated him with a little glare of her own. It's like she practiced seeing as her last attempt didn't faze him a bit. "Just go back to school next week, ok. There've been stupid rumors flying all over the place about us. It's annoying having to deny them and no one believing me." he huffed out.  
"W-what kind of rumors?"  
"Ranging from I dumped you to I raped you, impregnated you then told you to get an abortion so you've transferred school." Hinata giggled. Why was she giggling. Did she think it was a joke? He was deadly serious. "I am being serious Hyuuga." But this only seemed to make her laugh a little more. "What's so funny?" He questioned.  
"S-some people... have a l-lot of time on their ha-hands to make... to make those up!" she said between laughs. She had a point. Did the kids in their school have nothing better to think about?  
"They'd have a field trip if they knew we were drunk and in my room while my brother was throwing a party."  
"I-I'm not drunk!" Hinata protested.  
"I say you are, unless you prefer the term 'merry'?" he said skeptically, Hinata laughed again. It would appear she was a giggler. Well at least she wasn't a paralytic drunk.  
"Y-you're actually... r-really funny S-sasuke." She yawned softly and cuddled closer one of his pillows.  
"You're coming in next week right?" Hinata nodded with her eyes closed. Sasuke smiled. He was totally in her good books.

Who was the idiot who told him that girls liked to be treated like shit? It was probably one of Itachi's friends... Boy were _they_ wrong.

* * *

Party scene done. Okay, now I know Sasuke is portrayed as an insensitive jerk (Which he is... but still). And after long deliberation I've decided this is actually going to end in a pairing. Because it's cute... and given enough time something could develop between Hinata and Sasuke... Like if people stopped forcing them together... or at least obviously forcing them into situations, they'd get along a bit better. Sasuke'd let down his gaurd and there you go- a SasuHina pairing. Constructive Criticism of course. And Enjoy summer holidays you guys!


	8. Chapter 8

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Woo! How's everyone's summer holidays going? Mine's been involving lots of sleeping fanfiction and avoiding the outside world... not feeling antisocail just that sleeping/writing... not really good for a socail life. Anyway, eight installment. I've noticed I'm either focusing on speech and emotions so much that the physical appearances have been neglected... So, I'ma work on that. Have fun reading you guys.

* * *

The following Monday, Hinata had a sunny disposition. She woke up half an hour earlier than everyone in the house and cooked a full English breakfast for four. Hanabi smelt it in her sleep and rushed down to get some grub before school. It was a good thing Hinata was still cooking when Hanabi decided to wolf down over half of the food on the table because she could easily just make a bit more.  
"Ehh." Sighed the younger Hyuuga, "So what's the occasion Hina?"  
"N-nothing..."  
"Did something happen at the party? You've been awful chipper since you came back from there... Did you meet a _boy_?" Taking Hinata's blush as a yes Hanabi said no more. Hell, as long as Hinata was out of her room and happily cooking _delicious_ food for the family, who was she do question it?

.

Chouji knocked on the door of Hinata's home. Ino had mentioned that the girl would be coming into school for the first time since her embarrassing walk in issue involving Sasuke and Naruto. He lived close to her and decided that hey- he should be the nice guy and tell her what she was in for the moment they entered the gates.  
"Hinata! There's a boy here! A fat one!" There was Hanabi... Ino told him about Hanabi, she was rude, loud... and kind of a lot like Ino, only smaller... and a lot more violent. Okay so Ino didn't say Hanabi was a smaller version of her; but it was obvious to everyone.  
"Hanabi that's rude. Chouji is p-pleasantly p-plump!" There she was, in her school uniform with an apron over it. "Ah, Chouji do you want a-anything? Everyone h-has eaten a-and I cooked ah... too much." She scratched the side of her head nervously. Chouji's face lit up, Hinata food! Like Naruto, Chouji loved the food Hinata cooked. And he hardly ever got to taste it as she normally didn't invite anyone around or bring packed meals to school.  
"Lets eat!" They had half an hour till the school gates opened anyway. He might get some grub in his belly.

"Okay, so the worst rumour going around is that Sasuke got you pregnant after he raped y-"  
"A-ah... he told me a-about that o-on Fr-Friday night."  
"Oh... So you two started hanging out?"  
"H-he ah... h-he helped me w-when I wasn't feeling s-so good."  
"Really? Sasuke was nice? That's a first."  
"I-I didn't believe it e-either." They turned the corner of her road when someone pulled up besides them. The driver leaned over and wound down the window. It was Sasuke.  
"Get in." He said to Hinata.  
"O-only if C-Chouji can g-get a ride too." The Uchiha huffed.  
"Fine. Get in hefty." The front door opened and Hinata got in, Chouji closed the door after her and got in the backseat. This was going to be weird, getting a lift from Sasuke. Hinata hurried to get her seatbelt on before Sasuke began driving, when he sped down the road Chouji knew why. Sasuke swerved into the nearest to the school parking space and ordered Chouji out. "I need to talk to her about something... alone." He shot Chouji a look that made the chubbier boy get out- not that he needed to be told twice, Sasuke's driving made the breakfast in his stomach churn.

"T-that wasn't v-very nice." she scolded the boy next to her.  
"Few rules before I let you out of the car," he said locking the doors before she could leave him, "One: You're going to tell everyone the rumours aren't true. Two: Don't tell anyone about my room... and stuff... if you tell anyone about my teddy bear I might just attack you." Hinata stifled a giggle remembering the teddy bear that lay in the middle of his bed.  
"A-anything e-else?"  
"I want a kiss from you."  
"Wha- what? Why?"  
"I took care of you the other night, repayment. So you either kiss me here, in private or you do it in public. In front of the _whole_ year." Hinata squeaked. Neither option was desirable. Her hands became very interesting to look at while she made her choice. If she kissed Sasuke now, she'd miss the feeling of probing eyes as she did so... but then she'd be _kissing_ him. AGAIN! And if she kissed him later, the whole school would know by break. She sighed and made her choice of the two evils.  
"A-ah... o-okay." He clearly hadn't expected her to answer. "B-but you h-have to close your e-eyes." He complied with her wishes and shut his eyes insanely fast. Her small hands gripped the sides of his blazer as she leant forward hesitantly. She stopped right before his face and swore she could feel him trembling with laughter... and she got the moment over with before it could drag out any further. When her lips pressed against his he laughed into her kiss while she 'eeped' in surprise. He pulled back after two moments.  
"I was joking about the kiss you know." He smirked. Hinata was mortified. She'd just allowed him to violate her mouth! How was she supposed to know he was joking! He had the comedic capacity of a rock.  
"Y-you! Y-you!"  
"You want me." He flicked the switch that unlocked the car and left her fuming inside. He threatened to lock her in through the window and she stepped out of there so fast. Chouji was waited a few meters closer to the school and she rushed to his side faster than Sasuke could say 'Stupid Itachi' with a red face, cursing him on her way.

.

Chouji looked at his friend's bright red face and pulled her closer to his side. Ah, she's so cute.  
"I k-k-kissed him!" She exclaimed in shock. He patted her head. Bless her, too innocent for her own good. If she's just blushing at a kiss, he just didn't want her to find out about what the others in their year were capable of doing.  
"So... I guess you like Sasuke then?" He probed.  
"N-no! He... h-he tricked me!" Hinata moved closer in to Chouji's side and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder in a friendly manner. Sure... Tricked. Hinata was in denial- at least Chouji thought she was. She was acting a little like Ino was before she and Shikamaru came out as a couple to him and Hinata. "H-how was I supposed t-to know he was jo-joking. He's so se-serious."  
"You'd not have known. It's Sasuke. He's got the comic sense of a rock."  
"T-that's what I thought t-too!" Hinata hugged his arm. She wasn't blushing so much but she was so happy that someone else thought that Sasuke was weird. "A-ah, I r-remember why we call you t-the 'big softy'." She murmured.  
"Really? Ino always refers to me as 'The Big Sexy'- given that is when she's drunk..."  
"A-ah... you get those calls t-too?"  
"Yep. She's always on the floor too." Chouji smiled and scrunched up his face as he tried to get the perfect Ino impression Chouji- Chouji! I'm on the- I'm on the floor! The floor is my friend- she says hello to you Chouji. You there Chouji? You-ain't-saying-anything. I heart youuuu~'" Hinata chuckled for most of this impression... then she saw Ino approaching them and tried to muffle her laughter. Maybe she ought to have told Chouji that Ino was standing behind him with a vein bulging with anger on her forehead. When Chouji heard the cracking of Ino's fists he paled. "She's behind me isn't she?" Hinata mutely nodded trying to not look amused at her friends' predicament.  
"Oh so you thought you could get away with mimicking me Chouji huh? Well the floor'll be_ YOUR_ new best friend!"  
"Bye Hinata!" Chouji squeaked as he ran down the hallway from his blonde companion.

Hinata watched as the pair disappeared behind a corner. She really missed moments like that with her friends. She followed the route they had taken as it lead to her locker anyway. People were whispering again... did they really have nothing better to do? It had been two weeks since Sasuke declared in front of the whole lunch hall that he liked her... couldn't they find something else to talk about?

.

"Ok, this week we're going to prepare for our Japanese interactive oral. The 16 of you will all be preparing a trip to an area of Japan from Tokyo. You will be students and the trip must be one night and two days." Ms Jestico told the class. Hinata smiled. She owned the oral aspect of the Japanese class. It was the only one she was the top scorer in, then again, this was Japanese for beginners and the other members of her class had never touched Japanese- minus trying to pick up words from subbed animes- as a language. It was just her and Sasuke who could easily pass the tests Ms Jestico set them easily. Thank god for Japanese heritage in passing this subject. Best class elective ever. "Now can you all get in pairs, the two of you will make a plan and present it to the class. Sasuke, Hinata, because the two of you are the fastest learning students I want the first draft of your oral by Friday. Is that clear?"  
"Yes Ms Jestico." They both replied. One of the other students put up their hand.  
"Do we get to pick any part of Japan?"  
"Yes, because Japan has a very fruitful tourist economy. Many people in Japan often visit other areas in their holiday."  
"So are we allowed to pick the same places?"  
"No. Everyone has to pick a different place."  
"Dibs on Nara." Sasuke announced. Hinata sighed. She was going to pick Nara. That's where she went every summer to visit her family. They always ended up visiting shrines and Nara Park... when she was younger, Naraland was still open and it used to be her favourite place. Much better than Disneyland Paris. She scowled. Somehow she'd get her revenge for stealing Nara away from her.

In the end she'd settled for Mijiyama to visit. That meant she really had to do some investigation... maybe next summer she'd see if her grandparents wanted to go there afterwards. She had just typed in 'train fare Japan' to Google when the screen went blank.  
"Huh?" She searched for the plug that her computer was attached to; someone had flicked the switch. She was in the corner and there was only one other person sitting next to her apart from Ms Jestico, and it's not like Ms Jestico walked around turning computers off while her students were working. "S-Sasuke!"  
"You were ignoring me. Anyway, Nara's boring- let's switch places."  
"Wh-wha? No! Y-you picked Nara... Y-you do you pr-preparation." She was angry. How dare he steal her home from her and then declare it boring! If Hinata was feeling bolder (and if Sasuke wasn't Ms Jestico's favourite pupil) she'd have slapped him then and there.  
"You're no fun. Oh... and you're going with me to lunch today."  
"W-why should I?"  
"Because you like me."  
"S-says who?"  
"You said on Friday... So, it's sorted."  
"I d-didn't say you were nice... I s-said... I-I said... that you could be f-funny."  
"Funny... Liking me... It's all the same to me." he smirked.  
"I-if you keep a-acting like a jerk... I-I'm not going to."  
"So you'll go with me?"  
"I said if you stop acting like a j-jerk." Sasuke stared at her. He appeared to be contemplating her proposal.  
"All I have to do is be nice?" Hinata nodded, "And you will go out with me?"  
"N-no. I'll g-go to lunch with y-you..."  
"I can settle for that."

.

He flashed a smile at a group of girls and they squealed with joy. This nice thing was in the bag. But why did flashing a few smiles and being what his mother called 'polite' to girls would get someone else to date him.

_Where _were these life lessons written down? Seriously. There was a lot of time and effort wasted doing the 'wrong' thing for years. Last Friday he had a revelation. Today confirmed it.

Hinata liked nice guys. She wasn't like every other girl who would die for the bad boy or the jerk. Maybe he should get her a gift? No, he was treating her to lunch already...

"Hinata, don't look now but Sasuke and co. are coming over." Ino whispered. Sure enough the Uchiha was striding across the playground accompanied by a small tight-knit group of his friends, they were all dark haired with the exception of Naruto. Hinata retreated into Chouji's shoulder as she waited for the anticipated meeting of two completely separate groups that normally didn't get on well at all. Ino put an arm protectively around her smaller friend and gave her shoulder a squeeze. She was unaware of what went down in Japanese so this occurrence made her slightly uneasy... "What do you want Sass-"  
"Don't call me that Ino..." Sasuke sighed; "Anyway..." he turned to the side with pink on his cheeks while he addressed Hinata. "Hinata will you go to lunch with me today?" The three boys behind him all giggled at Sasuke's discomfort. It was so different for Sasuke to act this way. Especially to a girl. Ino was shocked.  
"Did you just... _ask_ Hinata out? Instead of like... ordering her to?"  
"Yes Yamanaka I did."  
"We'll think about i-" Ino started. Shikamaru put a hand over his girlfriend's mouth.  
"It's Hinata's decision Ino." He motioned to Chouji and the boys behind Sasuke. "We should leave them to talk about it." Chouji patted Hinata on the head as he got up and Ino reluctantly let go of Hinata. Shikamaru moved his hand from her mouth and she exclaimed before he put it back in place:  
"Hey! You still need to apologize to Forehead before you so much as get _my_ approval to touch Hinata, Uchi-" Shikamaru sighed and continued to lead (forcefully drag) Ino away from the couple.

.

"Ino says I have to go apologize to Sakura." Sasuke explained.  
"W-well... y-you should." Hinata agreed. "I-it'd be n-nice of y-you..."  
"But I don't get why. I'm not going to tell her I like her, it's just the truth."  
"B-but... in front of the whole y-year?"  
"She should've said something like that in private. She just set herself up for that one."  
"B-but!" Hinata fidgeted with her fingers. Sasuke had a valid point but it was still a wrong thing to do. Even through Ino's persistence to go through with plan embarrass Sasuke Hinata couldn't bring herself to do so. It wasn't in her character...  
"Do you want me to apologize to Sakura?" he asked suddenly.  
"A-h... I t-think it would h-help her." Sasuke pulled his phone out of his pocket. He spent a minute going through it till he reached Sakura's number.

_Hello? Sasuke?_  
"Sakura... Due to the insistence of two of your friends, it's come to my attention I did you wrong."  
_Really? So... you'll go out with-_  
"What I said still stands. The way I said it could have been less harsh."  
_Well what are you trying to say? I'm sorta confused._  
"I'm not going to date you, but I guess I'm apologizing for embarrassing you... even if you did bring it on yourself."

"S-sasuke! T-that's not h-how you apologize!" Sasuke covered the speaker of the phone.  
"Then you do it..." Hinata took the phone from Sasuke.

"S-Sakura?"  
_Hinata? Why are you on Sasuke's phone?_  
"I-I'm with him... um... Ino and I feel like he ought to apol- t-to say sorry for how he treated you... A-and... He s trying to be n-nice... I think..."  
_Are you guys outside?_  
"Y-yes..."  
_Okay, well I'm come out... I can't hear you properly over this noise._  
"B-but... W-we're going out t-to eat..."  
_You are?_  
"Y-yes... Um... I'll see y-you after school."  
_Bye?_

"We are?" he asked, Hinata shrugged.  
"Y-you were trying t-to be nice... t-that's something."

.

"So what's the real reason you agreed to lunch with me?" Sasuke asked taking a sip of Coke through the straw. They had decided on McDonald's and were walking back up the hill that separated the school from the shopping area below. "It's not like McDonald's is some expensive place you take girls to." Hinata was holding her own drink (Fanta Orange, just because) "And it was obvious you didn't approve of my Sakura apology." The straw twirled around in her mouth. How was she going to put this about? Was it a day of apologies? Did she just go 'Hey... I was going to use you to get someone else's attention but then I realized you're a human being so I'm sorry about treating you that way'?  
"Ah...U-um... I-I wanted to a-apologize to you..."  
"For what? The rumours?"  
"P-partially... I," here it was. The moment when she was going to throw it all out into the open. "I w-was going t-to use you... a-and then h-hurt you."  
"Are you still going to 'hurt' me? Because depending on the way you'd have 'used me... let's just say I'm enjoying a little fantasy in my head." Hinata blushed.  
"A-are you a-always-"  
"I have needs..." He grasped at her free hand and for once she didn't shy away from Sasuke physical contact. "But seriously... are you still going to 'use and hurt' me or do I have to give up on you?" Hinata didn't know how to respond to that. There was obviously no point in 'using' him to get to Naruto (as cleared up by Sakura). It did feel nice to have some form of attention from the opposite sex... and she appeared to be getting to know a different side of Sasuke as well...  
"I-I don't k-know..."

.

Sakura was the first to spot the pair walking up the hill, she didn't feel the need to contact her friends- well, Ino's friends, she wanted to talk to Hinata alone anyway... She was waiting at the front gates. Lunch wasn't over. She could still talk about that weird phone conversation she had with Hinata. Hinata going out to lunch with Sasuke? It wasn't right... She'd even said she wasn't romantically attached to him- and they didn't have anything in common (minus most of their lessons). Sakura knew; it had been the reason for her existence since age twelve to know everything Sasuke. At first it didn't look very threatening to her chances with Sasuke, then Sasuke linked hands with Hinata and the girl blushed.

What happened to 'You and Sasuke would make a good couple'? Surely Hinata wasn't stupid enough to follow through with Ino's plan. It was a horrible plan. It wouldn't work. From her space Ino could also see Ino getting onto the bus. Where was Ino going- it wasn't a half day. Just when she thought of going after Ino she got a text from the blonde.

'Going home. DW. Tell Hina 2 call me xxx :3.'

Well that gave her a plausible reason for her to approach Sasuke and Hinata.

.

"Hey! Hinata! I've been looking _everywhere_ for you!" Sakura yelled. The second Hinata heard shrill Sakura's voice she ripped her hand from mine. The pink haired annoying fluff ball came prancing up to us. I looked over to Hinata, she looked as though she'd just been caught doing something she really shouldn't be. I pulled her to my side, as usual she squeaked.  
"What do you want with her Sakura?" The girl was already trembling.  
"Nothing big... well~ I don't think it is."  
"Then why were you 'looking everywhere' for her?"  
"Ino just asked me to tell her to call her is all... she looked kinda down..." Sakura sounded like she was putting this sympathetic face on.  
"I-Is she o-okay?"  
"Well she didn't tell me about anything being wrong so I thought maybe you'd know or something." Hinata wriggled out of my arms and followed that pink fuzz ball towards the street.

Trust a fan girl to ruin the moment.

.

"A-are you sure nothing's w-wrong with Ino?" Hinata asked for the fifth time since she left Sasuke in the middle of the road. Sakura had still not given her an answer.  
"I told you I didn't know already." Sakura whined. She whipped around when they were alone. "I thought you didn't like Sasuke? You said on Friday that you didn't and you're going out with him." Hinata avoided the piercing glare Sakura gave her skillfully. No doubt Sakura felt betrayed about the whole thing.  
"B-but i-it was just lunch!" Hinata proclaimed.  
"You were _holding hands_!" Sakura accused, "Why'd you do that if you didn't like him?"  
"I-I... We- S-Sakura..."  
"If you were my friend you wouldn't act like that."

Sasuke didn't know what happened but Hinata had started avoiding him, of course she did it in that sneaky girl way so that it appeared that she wasn't avoiding him at all. She'd smile back if he did first but if he ever wanted to start a conversation with her she'd always get 'pulled' away. Even so... he had a feeling Sakura was behind the whole thing. It got to the third week of Hinata's avoidance when he pulled Sakura to one side after school.

"Sasuke... what do you want?" she gasped, he hoped she wasn't getting ideas. "I mean- How can I help you? Is anything wrong?"  
"Yeah actually there is Sakura." She stepped closer to him as though she was going to comfort him. "For some reason Hinata's avoiding me." He then glared at her, she shifted uneasily. No doubt she had something to do with it.  
"Well... I can't help with that."  
"That's funny because she only started avoiding me after you snatched her at lunch."  
"Like I said Sasuke I can't help with that. Everyone knows Hinata likes Naruto... even if he rejected her maybe she likes him still."  
"Then she's stupid for doing that- there's no point in liking someone who has told you they aren't interested."  
"But I like you still-"  
"And I wish you wouldn't. You were better off when we were seven and you just thought boys were annoying."  
"What?"  
"Forget it. Just tell me what you told Hinata." he ordered.  
"I didn't-"  
"Don't... Lie to me Sakura." The pink haired girl stepped further back at his growl, "Tell me what you said to her."  
"I told her to back off... So that I could have a chance with you." Sakura whimpered. "She likes Naruto anyway! It's not fair."  
"So... you're happiness is worth more than mine?"  
"What-no! I just want you to be happy."  
"And I'm 'happy' with Hinata."  
"I-I... Sasuke I could make you happy."  
"Somehow I doubt it Sakura."  
"No- it's true! I really could!"  
"Well it's not like I'm exactly jumping for joy at the moment." He sighed dramatically, "Forget it... I'm going home."

.

Maybe she shouldn't have told Sasuke of her talk with Hinata. He was going to hate her forever. But why couldn't he give her a chance. Sakura didn't understand... What was wrong with her? What did Hinata have that she didn't? She was just this weird, quiet girl! She was weird because she was so quiet and she was quiet because that annoying stuttering got on everyone's nerves. Sakura didn't stutter. She was strong, proud, intelligent and popular. She had lots of friends! And she was a nice person too! The only thing she could say about Hinata was that she was nice, quiet and incredibly naive.

* * *

So er, that was the latest chapter. It feels SO wierd not updating on the Monday but at least I'm still sticking to my wee hours of the morning times right? Anyway, I wanted to introduce phones into it, the italics were the person on the other line of the phone- I just wanted to clear that up because well, what are teenagers without their phones? and well... I'll be using the technique a lot more in later chapters and I don't want to confuse anyone. And yeah- there's going to be a change in Ino's life. Major suckage- but she's had it so easily, there is no one who has life that easy and I'm trying to be realitic here.

Anyway, as for the stuff I wrote about their Japanese orals, what the teacher said is actually completely true. Again, trying to stick with reality, I'm basing any Japanese lessons off of my own, the information about both areas Mijiyama and Nara is totally legit, there used to be an amusement park called 'Naraland', it got closed down in the 90s which sucks because it was like the 'Disney World of Japan' according to the tourist sights. As for basing the Hyuuga in Nara, I don't know, I'm starting to think now that maybe they'd be better off in another part of Japan, but Hey; I've written it down now so its going to stick. Also about Sakura (or Suckura as I like to call her in my spare time), she's still going to be jealous about it, hell, I'm kind of jealous at a girl at the moment... allow some other girl saying she'll try and stop being overtly flirty with a guy so that he will stop being shy and ask you out when you asked for the first date but doesn't ask you for the second date and he ends up liking her instead(!). Hell, if anything you'd be more jealous of that girl because she was aware of how you felt about the issue. But I digres. This jealousy will play up in other chapters just so everyone knows. Constructive criticism please and do enjoy your summer holidays.


	9. Chapter 9

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Oh hello world. Here's the ninth installment- yes ninth. One chapter away from ten and I've already passed the fifty-review mark. This makes me _muy_ happy... and also I know have more of a reason to update, imagine if I got one hundred reviews by the end of the story... That would actually make my life just a bit... well, quite a lot. Mhm. So this chapter is set the three weeks after Hinata/Sasuke lunch date on the weekend... In the last chapter Sasuke was going to try and change Hinata's mind about avoiding him, so uh, I'll just let you guys read on before I ruin it.

* * *

Hinata stared at the screen of her computer. It was a Saturday and she was busy compiling a playlist of memorable mutually loved songs to put on an iPod nano for Ino. Of course she hadn't bought the iPod herself... Chouji and Shikamaru (even Hanabi!) had chipped in for the purple device with matching purple headphones. Her younger sister had gone into the city and came back with glittery stickers with which to decorate the iPod therefore making it 'cute' and 'unique'. But just why were they making this big effort for Ino?

She was moving. Not just house, not just town.

Ino was leaving the country. For Southern Korea; her mother had gotten a new husband there, a new house, new kids on the way and managed to secure a place for Ino at one of the local prestigious schools. As much as she protested against leaving her father, home and friends, Inochi thought it would be a great opportunity for Ino and her mother to reconcile after a messy divorce that left Ino to deal with counseling from the age of nine until she was fourteen. Shikamaru was gutted. They'd only officially been recognised as a 'couple' and now she was being torn away from him. Shikaku wouldn't allow his only son to up an leave the country for some girl (even if he'd known her all his life) and so the lazy genius was trying to kit out Ino with all the technology she needed before she left so that they'd still have contact regularly, despite the time differences.

Hinata sighed. One of her three- no four; Sakura was her friend now, one of her four friends was leaving. Her oldest friend at that... if it was Sakura who was to leave the country Hinata would have felt indifferent... they'd only talked a few times prior to the Sasuke issue. She moved the mouse and closed down the iTunes window. This could wait another day... she was missing a song for it- but what was it? She already had all of Ino's favourite Disney tunes on there- the soundtrack from Tarzan, Mulan, Toy Story (and Toy Story 2), Brother Bear... basically all of the classics that Ino had on DVD. She had Lady Gaga's album, she had the complete albums of the Black Eyed Peas (Ino had gotten obsessed with them after she hear Imma Be and decided they were her new favourite group) so with that she had to put down Fergie and Will.'s respective solo-work. The hell was she missing? She could... no... That would just annoy Sakura.

Along with dealing of the news of Ino's departure, Hinata was trying desperately to win over her new found friend. When she went to lunch with Sasuke, Sakura had spotted them and Hinata was in her bad books. Hinata had basically avoided him like the plague to prove to Sakura that she wanted to be good friends- of course she did wonder why she couldn't at least be _friends_ with Sasuke... Surely it wouldn't do much damage to befriend him. Hinata pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled down the contacts: Chouji, Chouji Home, Daddy, Daddy Work, Hanabi, Hanabi School, Home, Ino, Ino Home, Mama, Sakura, Sakura Home, School, Sex God, Shikamaru- wait. _Sex God_? That was most definitely what Sasuke would have put him under. Hinata laughed. Sex God... pssh.

.

Sasuke was watching TV in the front room. Itachi was sitting beside him on the phone to Ino. Apparently he'd been giving her Korean lessons so that she could 'cuss out' her new stepfather in his own language- this was back when he was just her mother's boyfriend. Now it seemed like the blonde wanted Itachi to teach her a crash course in actual conversation worthy Korean so that she wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb when she arrived after the school holidays. He had just turned up the volume of the television because he couldn't hear the show over Itachi and Ino's conversation. He hit 54/60 when Itachi finally moved from the room giving him a glare. Tch. Like that was going to faze him, he was Sasuke Uchiha- he was king of all glares!

His mobile phone vibrated on the coffee table- it wasn't really for coffee, IKEA intended that it was used as a substitute dining table when really good shows were on, also as a footrest on lazy days and an area where you could leave all of the days post for the household. It was an unknown number, meaning it wasn't on his select list of numbers.  
"Who is this?" he snapped. The person said something but he couldn't hear them over the TV, grabbing the remote in the other hand he pressed the mute button.  
_A-ah... I'm looking f-for a 'S-sex God'_ the person giggled down the phone. It was definitely a girl- the high pitch told him so. How'd she get his number? _T-the rest of the world knows him as S-Sasuke... I-if that helps._  
"Is this another girl from school? How do you keep getting my number? I changed it seven times last year!"  
_You did... _they giggled again, _I-I'm glad _I_ don't have fan boys. _

"Yeah we all can't be that lucky- how did you get my number?"  
_You g-gave it to me when you k-k-kidnapped me. _He smiled. Hinata had finally succumbed to his gorgeousness and decided to call him.  
"So, I guess you just knew 'Sex God' was me then... I'm glad you think of me that way but I think I feel a little materialized." he teased down the phone. "Things good?"  
_A-as good as t-they can be... Umm... Sasuke?_  
"Yeah?"  
_Are you... umm... well... D-do you want to go s-see a film with me?_  
"Just give me the time and place."  
_R-really? Oh! Umm... W-well... it comes out t-today. And... a-ah the next screening in C-cineworld is f-four. _Sasuke pressed select on the remote. The time was two thirty. He had time to shower.  
"Do you want me to pick you up?"  
_N-no that's okay... I'll uh- s-see you later. _the girl squeaked.  
"Yeah, later." If he had a clone he would high five himself, and if he were Naruto he'd attempt to high five himself anyway only to realise that it'd just look like he clapped once. Hinata just asked him out on a date!

Sort of...

.

What did she just do? She just asked Sasuke out! Why did she just do that? She didn't ask out people! Weren't the boys supposed to do the asking! Hinata couldn't believe it. Had she just asked out Sasuke- no, no, what she had done was asked him as a _friend_ to go see a movie with her. That was perfectly innocent. Everyone else was busy anyway. Hanabi was out with her school friends, her parents didn't want to see the film because they thought it was a tad overdue and immature for their seventeen year old daughter to want to see, Sakura was out shopping and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio were at Ino's home trying to pack a lifetime's worth of possessions into about fifteen boxes. She would have helped if she wasn't preparing the departure gift for Ino. If she took the bus an hour from now she should be at the cinema just before ten to four. Perfect timing seeing as the queue for tickets might be long.

Hinata grabbed her towel and headed for the bathroom. She was still in her pajamas! Like she could go out in public with someone after not showering and spending all day in her fuzziest pjs... it wasn't right.

.

"A-ah... T-two tickets for the four 'o' clock Toy Story 3 in 3-D please." Hinata asked the cashier. They gave her and Sasuke a questioning look... Did grown-ups not understand that their generation needed closure from this film? Sasuke looked at his 'date' in shock. _Toy Story 3_? What the hell was that? It sounded like a kiddy-film. Their orange coloured tickets were handed to Hinata and she and Sasuke paid separately. Wait- if they paid separately was it still a date? Sasuke wondered if he should have bought her ticket for her.  
"Here's your 3-D glasses." The clerk said as they handed the two teens a pair of dorky looking pair of sunglasses. Hinata put them on straight away with a smile on her face and Sasuke shrugged and followed her to the snack area.  
"You know cinema food is overpriced right?" He asked her.  
"Y-yeah... b-but I can't h-help it... I r-really want a p-pick n mix."  
"I hate sweets." He complained.  
"W-well I d-don't. M-my favourites are those l-long things." His mind was totally turning that into an innuendo. Hinata placed her palms about 30 centimeters apart "T-this big... a-and... and they come in different flavours t-too!"  
"Oh yeah. Like what?"  
"T-there's a-apple... and strawberry a-and coke and... a-and bubblegum and blueberry a-"  
"Sounds tooth-rotting."  
"T-they're not..." She pouted as she filled the pick and mix bag with the multi-flavoured sweets. He waited in queue for her while she chose what other sugary delicacies to fill the bag with.

When she placed the bag on the scales, her face fell as the price went up and up. Ten... eleven... twelve... twelve fifty. Hinata had spent £12.50 on sweets at a pick and mix. She'd only bought fifteen pounds and most of that had gone to her student ticket which had the added price for a 3-D film as well as for the 3-D glasses. She didn't have enough money for all the sweets she wanted. Sasuke dug into his wallet and pulled out a debit card.  
"I'll pay." he told her. So... he didn't buy her ticket, but he _definitely_ bought her movie snacks. So they _were_ on a date. This cashier smiled at them.  
"That's so cute! Buying sweets for your girlfriend." they chirped. Hinata blushed a deep shade of pink and Sasuke had he not been in control of his emotions totally would have done the same. When they walked away from the till Hinata thanked him. By then of course it was four oh one. This meant they were one minute late for the film. Hinata rushed him to the screen and into the closest seats. A short film had just started. Pixar loved putting on small films before the big ones.

.

With Hinata at his side practically radiating childish happiness, Sasuke didn't mind that they were the only teenagers in the screen, put on his 3-D glasses and _tried_ to enjoy the film.

It appeared they were very near the end of the film. Sasuke had remained impassive throughout the whole thing. Hinata however had gone through all the emotions the toddlers surrounding them had. There was one girl who had shouted 'Why are the toys sad?' and that made Hinata well up. At his left side Hinata was sniffling and she'd stopped eating her bag of sweets-maybe she'd finished them?  
"Hinata..." he hissed, "Are you crying?"  
"...Yes!" She squeaked. "I-it's... It's emotional."  
"Tch."

.

When they walked out of the cinema Hinata was definitely more chipper than she had been earlier. Sasuke didn't get why- didn't the movie just make her cry... what is up with this girl?  
"How're you getting back home?"  
"Oh... I-I'm getting the bus, i-it comes e-every f-five minutes."  
"I could give you a lift." He offered at the bus stop.  
"A-ah Okay."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah... why a-are you asking s-so many questions?"  
"Sakura told me what she said to you. So you've been avoiding me and all of the sudden you ask me on a date."  
"I-I didn't ask you on a d-date! I-I just wanted to h-hang out... a-as friends..." Sasuke's mood dropped a little there. He sat all the way through an annoying film with a girl who just wanted to 'hang out'. Hinata picked up on it, "D-didn't you have f-fun? I h-had fun."  
"I didn't get the movie."  
"H-how can you not 'get' T-toy Story 3?"  
"I've never seen the others." Tears appeared in Hinata's eyes.  
"Y-you didn't have a c-childhood!" She pulled out one of the remaining sweets from her bag and chewed on it thoughtfully. "C-come to my house."

.

"What exactly am I doing here?"  
"W-we're going to watch Toy Story a-and Toy Story 2." Sasuke looked around the room. Sure as hell wasn't as big as his, or as tidy. Well it was clean but not _as_ clean. Then again Sasuke had never seen a room as clean as his belonging to someone of their age. The walls were a pale mint green and on the boarders of the ceiling were smaller pink flowers obviously hand painted. The furniture was wooden and white, carefully placed around the small room. Her single bed was placed against the wall and in front of it was a decent sized television and a video player. Her desk was by the opposite wall with her laptop and a selection of books. There were a couple bean bag chairs that were the same colour as the little flowers bordering the room. Hinata caught him observing her room. "I-is anything wrong?"  
"No it's fine." He sat down on the bean bag chair closest to him as Hinata looked through a collection of supposed to be dusty old video cases. When she triumphantly found the two she was looking for she smiled at Sasuke then began to educate him in the movies of her childhood.

.

_Sakura you are not going to believe this?_  
"What Karin?"  
_That Hyuuga girl, I saw her with Sasuke today at the cinema... she's totally taken him home!_  
"But I told her to stay away from him."  
_Well I have no reason to lie. But I do have an idea to get back at her._  
"Go on..."  
_We could get Sui to hack into her computer, it's got a webcam on it right?_  
"That's a bit too far isn't it?"  
_Look do you want to get back at her or not?_  
"I guess... But Sasuke can't know! He'll kill me!"  
_Ok, come to my house now._

_._

Naruto had gone out shopping for food. His parents were out and Sasuke wasn't around, so he was stuck to doing the boring list of chores he was left on the fridge. Chores on the weekend... he really needed to get out. He was walking through the ramen isle when he saw his next door neighbour Konohamaru with that little girl who was at Hinata's house- what was the name of her little sister again? Hana- Ana? "Hey Boss! Come meet my girlfriend!" Are you serious?  
"_Girlfriend_? How do you get a girlfriend and I don't? I taught you everything you know." He ruffled Konohamaru's hair.  
"You know I don't like you right?" The girl said. Her arms were folded across her chest and she stood as though she challenging him. "Konohamaru you didn't tell me you knew the idiot who turned down my sister."  
"This is the guy who made Hinata-"  
"Don't tell him what she did. It'll make him smug." The girl protested. Naruto watched shocked as she sauntered to another aisle. Konohamaru sighed.  
"Isn't she something?"  
"Something awful." Naruto joked.  
"Hey- she's got little sister privileges... Hinata was crying every day for a week, she didn't leave her room."  
"Dang... I just thought she was sick or something..."  
"Well, you know, she's over you now anyway- we just saw her going into the cinema with Sasuke Uchiha and she looked like she just won the lottery or something. How's it going with Sakura?"  
"Not good little dude, she's still into Sasuke."  
"Harsh. I-uh, I better go find Hanabi before she abandons me here... Peace." Konohamaru waved crazily as he sprinted down the aisle.  
"Peace." Naruto replied. Well... she was over him, that was cool- he guessed. So... they could be friends again! Which was awesome because he really missed having her around him. It's funny how they say you don't miss something until it's gone, he didn't really think much of Hinata until she started ignoring him: she was the one who let him copy homework when Sasuke didn't let him, she was the one who; when he forgot money for lunch always bought him something to chew on. She always listened to him when he was down and was an overall perfect friend... he missed having her around, he'd grown accustomed to having her at his side for so long and then all of the sudden she wasn't there.

* * *

Was it worth the wait? And yes, the plot thickens... Does anyone think that without Ino around that Hinata can stand up to Sasuke and uh... everyone else? It'd be fun to see if she could. Anywho... is Ino's predicament like, realistic? By realistic I mean would it make sense, because with her being the main driving force to Hinata's little group of friends and such... was removing her from the thick of it all... right to do? Well, she's got another week and a half to go with Hinata so uh, next chapter will be long: Prepare yourselves... it was going to be 2 seperate chapters but then... but they were so linked that it was better to put them together to avoid the annoying CLIFFHANGER! Ooh I hate those cliffhangers...

Here we get a little look at how Naruto's feeling over the whole rejecting Hinata ordeal. Took me a while but now we know how he feels. As my mum says, "You don't miss the water till the well is dry." and that is most definately happening; however knowing that he misses Hinata could go either of two ways a) that he tries to get with Hinata himself proving him to be yet another obstecle that Hinata and Sasuke have to overcome or b) that he tries to get them closer together so that he can be near to Hinata again because Sasuke's a possesive little so and so. Well... I have to think about which way that could go... if anyone'd like to throw in their two-cents, I'm up for listening. Constructive Criticism all the way oh... and if you haven't seen Toy Story 3 yet... go and see it... It's emotional BUT it's closure... ages overdue but it's still there. Peace out!


	10. Chapter 10

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Well howdy there. Yet another update- number 10 to be exact. Love to everyone who's read and reviewed, I got 10 reviews for the last chapter which made me really happy because not only did I pass the 60 review mark BUT it was the second time that's happened (woo!). Anyway, as it's chapter 10 I wanna thank **Moon-Forest, BlackWerewolfOfPurpleRoses **and **tartar12345 **for being there since the begining and being my most awesome consistant reviewers who do remind me to go through certain things, so before I carry on the story I wanna go through some of the questions **Moon-Forest** and** tartar12345** asked in the reviews from the last chapter. There is going to be a dream sequence in this chapter! I'm not going to put in 'Dream Sequence/ End Dream Sequence' into the fiction because I don't want to ruin the flow of the story- it'll just be a big block of italics and I hope you'll notice that its a dream and not reality... in the fiction.

Moon-Forest

**1)** Hinata's feelings on Sasuke are really confusing. She is starting to like him _but_ she doesn't know if it's reboundish- so first she wants to get to know him to make sure that she's not just jumping from Naruto to Sasuke because Sasuke is sinfully sexy (ooh illiteration!) and being the kind of sheltered girl she is in this fiction, without guidance from Ino/Sakura/Hanabi/some other female around her age to kind of I dunno educate her in the whole guys/relationship bussiness she'd be either extremely dense over it due to inexperience.

**2)** Sakura. Well damn, I'm having fun with Sakura because I'm making her slightly two faced... On one hand she thinks maybe she could be friends with Hinata but then on the other Sasuke in a bump between the two of them. Unlike Hinata who once rejected kind of gave in- Sakura's going to be more persistant, she went through a big change to try and tell Sasuke she liked him and until he acknowledges her feelings she probably won't give up. She obviously views Hinata as a threat to her plan and is betrayed because she felt that seeing as Hinata wanted to be her friend she'd follow her rules blindly... This not being the case doesn't work so well for her.

**3) **Karin is like a _more_ extreme version of Sakura... because they both run in the same circle of Sasuke fangirlishness in the actual manga I want them to be friends or co-fangirls or something. Although... because Sakura sort of wants to be friends with Hinata she's not exactly going to go all out to sabotague the twisted budding relationship, so Karin is needed to be the full 'bad guy' of the story. And it's been a while since I've seen Karin in the manga I remember her being angry and Sasuke-obsessed so... yeah, I hope that answers your question as to her actions.

**4)** Naruto the dense Hinata misser. He does miss her as a friend, she is someone that is constantly there for him. Although he also misses all the stuff Hinata did for him a bit more because even though she was always there for him he only realised she was there when he needed her. He was very persistant over Sakura so I could see why you don't feel any sympathy for Naruto over it. And although he's totally rejected any romantic feelings from her he still wants to be friends with her- no use giving up a good friendship because some feelings aren't returned right?

tartar12345

**1)** Hinata's behaviour over Sasuke... she is a lot motherly isn't she... I guess I want to have them to have some more time together and without Sasuke constantly being the one to initiate action... Hinata's got to be more independant when it comes to her wanting to be near Sasuke and well... Ino and Hanabi are both demanding and bossy in their own way so some of that has brushed off onto her. Hopefully I won't portray her as controlling but if I do, please tell me because sometimes when writing I just get so immersed into what I want to happen sometimes I forget to stay as in character as I can.

**2)** Your question was mostly on the Sakura/Sasuke obsession. Too much time and effort and encouragement from her fellow fangirls who for some reason think that Sasuke and Sakura would make a good couple... so she's still unable to let Sasuke out of her grip. You'd really think she'd let it go but... well... **2)** of Moon-Forest's reply basically outlines what I want to say.

Thanks yet again** everyone** for all your reviews and enjoy chapter 10.

* * *

Hacking was Suigetsu's speciality. He made quite a profit from the skill, getting into the school systems and changing people's reports or grades. With the security he was used to for hijacking the school system, cracking Hinata's puny firewall was nothing. He was controlling the computer from his own; his identity was his hacker name: BlueSquad34. When Karin called him she'd asked him to just hack in to the other girl's laptop and run the inbuilt webcam. What were they going to do with the footage? He always thought Karin was into boys like that Sasuke guy... but maybe he was wrong and she was into cute, shy girls.  
"Yo. Karin."  
_Mhm? Is it done Sui?_  
"Yeah. If I don't get the money for this-"  
_Don't worry you'll get it._

It got to midnight and Suigetsu was bored. He figured that since he'd set up a spy camera he might as well sneak a peek. Hell- maybe she was a closet pervert! He might see some interesting stuff... for his own personal use. He typed in passwords on his computer allowing him access to the webcam feature and also the inbuilt mic.

First thing that surprised him was that Sasuke Uchiha was in the room. Secondly that Sasuke and Hinata were watching what appeared to be old Disney films- the cartoons, not that 'Disney Original Movie' type. Now Suigetsu didn't really like to associate with Sasuke- the guy was stuck up and hanging around him meant constantly being ignored by other girls. Suigetsu was a good looking guy- why didn't he get as much attention?

.

"S-sasuke... are you s-still awake?" Hinata asked. It was late. Very late and she was getting tired. The Uchiha nodded slightly, it looked as though he was barely awake. Could she let him drive off home in his state- probably not... most likely he'd crash his car or run over some poor animal. "I-it's just that... I-it's really late and-"  
"I'll just stay here for the night then." Sasuke tossed so that he was in a more comfortable position on the bean bag chair.  
"B-b-but... This is _m-my_ room. You can't stay h-h-here!"  
"Tch. Whatever. I'm going to sleep." With that he closed his eyes and ignored the further squeaking complaints of his hostess. It was late. He was tired. No school the next day- he was going to freaking sleep.

Hinata prodded him, she pushed him. She even hit him with one of her pillows but it was apparent he was never going to move from that spot. And she wasn't even in her pyjamas- her summer pyjamas! She shouldn't wear those out of decency... and where exactly did he expect her to change. Not here... what if he peeked?  
"S-sasuke?"  
"I'm sleeping Hinata." he replied. "Or at least trying to."  
"C-can you leave while I g-get changed... at l-least?"  
"I really can't be bothered. I'm tired and I've got fucking annoying Disney tunes stuck in my head. I'm going to close my eyes, you have my word that I won't look." Hinata's head swerved from his direction.  
"P-promise?"  
"Hn." Taking it as the closest possible answer to 'yes' from Sasuke Hinata gathered her pyjamas from their space under her pillow and walked over to the other side of the room where her desk was. It was dark so Sasuke wouldn't be able to see her change... hopefully. One final look in his direction, just to make sure he was being honest, Hinata saw Sasuke with his torso on the bean bag chair he hadn't left since he came to her room and legs strewn across her fluffy carpet floor.

.

Suigetsu had hit jackpot, _strip cam_! He waited eagerly for the girl to take off her shirt and when she did... Well, he was definitely keeping this stream. Her boobs! Good God Hinata had a perfect pair! The bra she was wearing as well... whole different league of sexiness. He chuckled. Maybe that's why Sasuke liked her so damned much. He bet that if the other boys saw the footage he had right now, they'd be fighting with Sasuke over the girl. His sight of her twins was short, she pulled on a string-strapped vest and removed her jeans. Just at the bottom of the webcam's screen he could see that she was in fact wearing matching underwear, the way they hugged her hips he could tell they were boy-shorts... also that he really ought to stop looking at underwear catalogues if they had turned him into that much of an underwear professional. The pair of shorts she pulled on over her underwear looked like a pair of underwear themselves, but hey- he wasn't one to complain. She turned around and walked to the bed that's when he got a great view of her behind and legs. Shapely as hell. She could easily be one of the underwear models that he'd seen on Karin's underwear catalogues.

"This girl's body is mental." He whispered to himself.

Well, that was enough for the night. He was going to sleep while the memory of Hinata stripping was still fresh in his mind. What wonderful dreams he'd have...

.

Around two in the morning Sasuke decided that he could not sleep on a bean bag. He had been trying to and all attempts had failed. This is a reason he should have gone home- he missed his bed and his other possessions. Hinata's bed wasn't even a double like his. He could try and get under the covers but that would leave a lot of questions to be answered when she woke up. Sighing he heaved himself off of the low bean bag chair and shook Hinata's shoulder. She opened one eye and gave him a glare as if to say-'don't bother me I'm sleeping!'  
"Hinata move over, I can't sleep on the bean bag." Surprisingly she rolled closer to the wall, but she didn't spare him any of the covers that she had wrapped around herself like a cocoon. Though not as spacious as his own, Hinata's bed was OK... it would be better if he had some covers.

When Hinata woke up- properly woke up that is, she was surprised at how warm she was, specifically the back of her neck felt like someone was breathing down it and it felt like someone was moulded to her back. She pulled off the covers revealing Sasuke on his side facing her- how did he tunnel through her cocoon of duvet? He shivered and then pulled the covers over his head again. So... he wasn't a morning person then? If anything Hinata was proud of herself, she hadn't blushed at all- normally she'd be out cold... was her stutter gone as well?  
"S-sasuke?" Hmm... Maybe not. But the blushing being gone was a good thing.  
"I'm sleeping. Go 'way." he pouted. The teen curled the covers around his body.  
"Would y-you like a-anything to eat?"  
"Come back in about four hours and we can discuss food." Now Hinata didn't like having anti-morning folk in her home, they always complained about the hustle and bustle that she made when she woke up early. Her mother joked that she 'woke up with the sun' because it was her namesake.  
"B-but... if you d-don't leave now... I'm going to get into trouble..." She poked him under the duvet.  
"Not my problem." He groaned, couldn't she leave him to sleep?  
"And-and I'll be grounded..."  
"Like I said."  
"A-and my father w-will never l-let you near me." She sighed "A-and then we c-can't be friends... I-I l-like being f-friends with you, I-I think..."

.

In the kitchen Hinata thought that was far too easy. She was becoming more like Hanabi- so manipulative. But how? Sasuke was dressed in his ruffled clothes and sat glaring at the table as though it was the one that essentially blackmailed him out of a warm bed. She was still in her pajamas but she had on a fluffy hooded robe so that she wouldn't appear to indecent if one of her family members walked in. Which they just so did.

It was her father.

"Good m-morning Daddy."  
"Hinata..." he nodded, Sasuke then caught his attention, "Who is this boy Hinata?"  
"O-oh... T-that's Sasuke U-Uchiha, I-I a-asked him to come over t-to help me p-practise m-my oral presentation f-for Japanese."  
"He looks a bit tired."  
"I-I guess he's not a m-morning person."  
"Certainly not." Hiashi opened the fridge and pulled out a premade sandwich, "Your mother and sister are going shopping today. Are you going to join them?"  
"A-ah... yes." She turned to Sasuke, "S-sorry I had you come so e-early... I forgot I had p-plans for today." Sasuke decided to go with the lie and shrugged.  
"I'll see you in school tomorrow then."  
"B-bye." As the door closed Hinata couldn't just believe what she'd done. She'd hidden a boy in her room for a whole night and got away with lying to her father about it! Is this what being Superman felt like? Did _all_ teenagers get this satisfied when they 'bent' the truth to avoid danger? If so she could understand now why they did- she normally wasn't one to hide the truth but there are some things parents just never need to know; like Hiashi not knowing there was a boy in his oldest daughter's room in her bed the whole night under his nose.

.

Karin looked through the footage Suigetsu gave her. It was perfect. Everyone knew that all the celebs got scandalized through 'leaked' pictures of them naked. Now Hinata wasn't naked but it was due to happen sometime, and when that happened, she and Sakura would laugh at the girl. That's what she gets for messing with their Sasuke- because he wasn't meant to be limited for one girl, Sasuke ought to be shared and adored by millions!  
"Here's your money Sui. I want you to send some freeze frames to the entire year." She threw him a wad of cash that he caught easily.  
"You know that costs extra, I have to make sure the 'cyber police' can't 'back track' me." he teased, of course he was aware that there was no such thing as cyber police and there was no way of back tracking anonymous emails or even sites.  
"Tch, whatever, I don't care just get it done Sui. She's going to know not to mess with Sasuke and us ever again."  
"Not that its my business but she seems like an Ok girl... the hell did she do to you?"  
"I-She! Hello! She's taken Sasuke from us!"  
"From what I saw it looks like he's the one 'taking' her from her friends."  
"Shut up Suigetsu." She fumed. She looked as though she wanted to say something more but froze and flipped her red hair. "What can I do for you so I don't have to pay extra..." she purred.

Suigetsu stared at her. Then he laughed. Was Karin trying to seduce him? Haha. _Too_ funny.  
"You cannot be serious." Karin had never looked more offended in her life.  
"What? Are you turning me down? What's wrong with you?"  
"Hinata's ruined me for other girls." Karin dealt him a blow to the head.  
"See! That's why. She's a stupid girl who keeps taking in boys and the most _annoying_ thing is that she doesn't even know she's doing it."  
"So you're jealous? Oh Karin I didn't know you liked my company so much." Suigetsu teased. His head still hurt but winding up Karin was his thing... when he wasn't being the computer go-to guy.  
"I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about Sasuke you bleached idiot." Ouch, dig at his hair. It wasn't his fault he looked good with platinum hair that wasn't his natural colour.  
"Don't hate on the hair Karin, oh and uh-take care of yours why don't you." Karin fumed, he'd always made fun of her half straight half messy hair. It was her style, and the final straw.  
"Just send the emails ok. I want it around the year by Monday morning."  
"Half upfront half after."  
"How much."  
"Fifty."  
"Overall?"  
"No now, fifty tomorrow."  
"A hundred pounds just for sending a viral email?"  
"Let's say it'll 'ease me conscience' Red."  
"You don't have one." Karin dug through her purse pulling out a fifty pound note. She was always one of his best when it came to payment...  
"Thanks Karin." He tucked in into his back pocket.  
"What do you even do with all this money? You're not spending it on me."  
"I have other things to spend money more worthily on Karin... like oh I don't know... food, water, electricity."

.

Hanabi shifted through Hinata's room.  
"So I heard Mama and Dad talking today." She told Hinata. Hinata was busy putting away clothes that they had bought that day.  
"Oh yeah? W-what about?"  
"Dad said a boy was here with you this morning."  
"S-so?"  
"He also said that the boy drove off in a car that had been parked across the road all night."  
"H-he did?" Hinata began to worry... if he knew she was lying why didn't he just reprimand her? "T-that's weird..."  
"Yeah." An evil spark flashed through Hanabi's eyes, "So-uh, who was this boy? I know it wasn't Naruto because he can't drive... well, not a car anyway."  
"I-it was S-sasuke... W-why do you w-want to k-know anyway?" Hanabi squealed and pounced on her older sibling.  
"Oh I _knew_ you'd bag him! What was _it_ like?"  
"It? Hanabi you're t-twelve! W-why are you thinking a-about _t-t-that_?"  
"You did it didn't you? Oh my Gosh! I'm telling Ino!"  
"H-hanabi- We didn t d-do anything!"  
"As if. Then what did you do with the sexy Uchiha? Watch Disney films?"  
"A-actually... A-and w-why a-are you t-talking like that?" Hanabi sighed. "Y-you shouldn't b-be talking like that i-it's not p-proper!"  
"Proper schmopper. Hinata when a guy spends the night in your _room_ you usually do something more than watch films. You 'watch DVDs'."

Hanabi put bunny ears around the two words 'watch DVDs' and Hinata stared at her sister like she'd suddenly turned blonde.  
"W-what?"  
"You know! When Ino goes to Shikamaru's house she doesn't tell her dad what they're really doing! She says they're 'watching DVDs'!" How did Hanabi know what Ino and Shikamaru did in their spare time? Ok, first thing tomorrow Hinata was going to tell Ino that she needed to filter the things she told Hanabi- the girl was only twelve... she didn't need to mature up to their level so quickly.  
"I-ah... I think y-you should go to y-your room a-and unpack."  
"Fine." Hanabi huffed. "You're boring anyway."  
"I-I love you too Hanabi." Hinata called as her younger sister flounced out of the room.  
"Oh! And before I forget- Mama said she'd talk to you about 'safe sex'!" the twelve year old yelled and then ran to her own room where she locked the door. She wished sh'ed stayed behind to see the mortified look on her sister's face.

.

Ino sat on her bed looking up at the ceiling of her now empty room. The only things not packed were the clothes she was going to wear for the next week. Her last week in England, with her friends and dad. She was angry, angry at her mother for leaving in the first place, angry at her for finding a new husband, angry at her for making her leave the country and therefore everyone behind. She was angry at her dad for trying to keep her, forget her mum!- she wanted to stay here... and to think... in a week she'd be in a new country where she just understood the language. Just as Hinata's love life was starting to sizzle- she was going to miss everything. And she'd have to leave her master plan to Itachi. He was a /lamb/: a lovely lamb who just wanted his little brother to be happy. Hinata made Sasuke happy and so he wanted the two to get together and Ino could tell that Hinata was starting to enjoy hanging out with Sasuke herself. The blonde grabbed her phone and pressed the third button; Hinata's number was the third number on speed dial, Shikamaru was the second button, Chouji the loveable chubster was fourth and her dad was the first. It rang a few times before Ino heard her friend's whispered greeting.

_H-hello Ino... h-how is t-the packing?_  
"It's all done. My room looks really empty."  
_B-but at least your n-new room will be j-just like h-home._  
"I hope so Hina..." Ino sighed. "Anyway- you know how it's my last week of school this week?"  
_Y-yes.. .y-you're leaving in h-half term r-right?_  
"Yup. So I was thinking... maybe we should match for the whole week? I mean, so that when I have the pictures of my last week with you guys it looks more fun." Ino suggested. She heard Hinata's intake of breath over the line.  
_I-Ino that's a _great_ p-plan! I-I ll bring m-my camera too... So w-we can have a s-set each._  
"Yeah. And we can make scrap books and hang with the boys because I don't leave until Tuesday."  
_A-and... w-we can ask C-Chouji if his parent's will l-let us eat a-at the r-restaurant f-for free... as a g-goodbye gift._  
"Ok! So we'll go over it tomorrow. But! For the main reason of my call: Do you have..." Ino dug through her suitcase, she had two suits in there with 5 shirts 3 pullovers and three pairs of patterned tights rolled up with a packet of over the knee stockings and socks. "A grey pencil skirt?"  
_Yes, what e-else?_  
"A... pink blouse?"  
_I-I don't o-own a lot of p-pink Ino..._  
"You got a purple one?"  
_I-I have l-lilac..._  
"That's close enough. Ok- you wear natural tights and um... wear those grandpa heels I got you!"  
_G-grandpa heels?_  
"The heels that look like grandpa shoes, all polished and patent and stuff."  
_O-okay. A-are we using any a-accessories?_  
"Accessories? Hinata! You are totally wonderful, I completely forgot. Wear... Wear um." She didn't have much accessories in her suitcase, just a few belts and bangles, "Wear a plain black waist-belt."  
_O-oh... and Ino?_  
"Yeah Hinata?"  
_A-are we making C-Chouji and Shikamaru match us too?_  
"You leave that one to me. We are going to look fabulous." Ino could hear her father's car pulling up into the drive. "Gotta go Hina, bye."  
_G-goodbye._  
"Love you~" Hinata giggled.  
_I-I love you too._

"So~ Was that Sasuke?" Hanabi asked.  
"W-when did you get in here?"  
"I'm so ninja I've been hanging from your ceiling for about an hour." Hanabi received a soft glare from her sister and sighed, "Ok, so I've been here for like five minutes."  
"Hanabi... y-you're not supposed to s-sneak into my room."  
"I only came up to say that mama's done cooking." Hanabi frowned, "You're always scolding me you know."  
"I-it's because I l-love you." Hinata tried to change the subject, "A-ah-anyway, let's go see what M-mama made." and she ushered her little sister out of the room, down the stairs into the living room.

.

When Sasuke had reached his home he went straight for his bedroom. Four hours on a bed with no covers did not leave him rested. He placed his shoes onto the shoe rack by his door and his clothes went straight into the wash basket. He flopped onto the bed, his bed, his beautifully soft and perfect double sized bed. His cushions were plump and soft and he buried his head further into them as he drifted off to sleep.

_"S-Sasuke..." someone whispered in his ear, "T-they're not pillows..." He looked up. Hinata was looking at him and blushing like a neon sign in his dark room. He glanced down and his head was nestled between two soft breasts. "B-but if you-if you r-really wanted to..."_  
_"Whoa..." This had to be a dream... a GREAT dream! Sure the Hinata here was blushing but she was also giving him bedroom eyes, at least... he thought they were the bedroom eyes. Hinata bit her lip._  
_"D-do you l-like it?"_  
_"Like what?"_  
_"M-my outfit... I-uh, I wore it for y-you." Sasuke backed away from his dream vixen to notice that she was in fact in a change of costume. When he had opened his eyes she was wearing the pyjamas Hinata was wearing earlier in the morning... now she was wearing something... well... that made his blood rush to... certain areas, teenage boys with their love interests in lingerie in a bed... not a good combination. Hinata crawled forward and on to his lap._  
_"It... looks nice."_  
_"You l-like it?" Hinata licked her lips innocently as she played with the hem of his boxers. "It's not t-too much?" Hinata's hair tickled his chest as she lay her head on his shoulder. She gazed at him with her opal eyes and leaned forward as though to kiss him._  
_"It's perfect." Sasuke tried to kiss her but she retreated from him._  
_"B-before... c-could you... maybe- do s-something for me?"_  
_"Anything."_  
_"W-wake up." What? No this was a great fantasy- he didn't want to wake up! But Hinata kept repeating the order, each time her voice getting deeper and louder. _

"SASUKE WAKE UP YA BASTARD!" A slap on the back woke Sasuke up. It was stinging red, like someone had slapped him with a wet palm. Sasuke hissed and shot up to get the idiot who caused him this uncomforted. Blond hair, blue eyes... Naruto! He punched his blond friend in the face to the amusement of two other boys present. Kiba and Sai, Kiba was wild, seriously wild. He was like an angrier, more feral version of Naruto who liked dogs- not cats, not birds, his only interest were canines. Sai was an 'artist' who was socially retarded, but because he was a comedian when it came to teasing Naruto who's nickname this year was 'Mr. Dickless'.  
"Toldja not to wake him idiot." Sai said through his fake smile.  
"What do you idiots want?" Sasuke asked. "We're going out today. Did you forget or somethin'?" He had forgotten, it was Kiba's sister's birthday in a week or something and the guy wanted to get her a gift for her and her dog. Why did every Inuzuka have a dog? The many trips to the pet shop Sasuke had accompanied Kiba to... well... in the last year he'd been there on seven separate occasions. Stupid dogs being birthday gifts to their owners.  
"What are we buying now?"  
"Well, Hana's moved out... and uh- we're going to buy her something for the dorm room she's got."  
"I meant for the dog."  
"Oh- nothin', he's still at home so we're not sending her anything for him."  
"Well... at least I don't have to go into that stupid pet shop again. Get out of my room and I'll meet you downstairs." Sasuke stepped into his en suite and showered, brushed his teeth, styled his hair and stepped out in a towel. The trio were still there. "I thought I said I'd see you downstairs."  
"Yeah~ but then you got this text from a girl." Naruto sang. "_'Sasuke, thanks for yesterday, I hope we can be good friends'_ Look she even added a smiley face!" Kiba read from the phone, "Who sent this aye? The brunette boy scrolled down the screen till he got the sender details. "Hinata H! No way! You've pulled my son! Get in!" Kiba gave Sasuke a congratulatory pat on the shoulder before he walked out of the room. Sai followed after him indifferent as usual, Naruto stayed staring at the phone.

"So are you and Hinata a _thing_ now?"  
"She wants to be friends first she said."  
"Oh... Could you maybe... like, talk to her for me?" Sasuke scoffed.  
"Why would I do that?"  
"Well... Like, she's been avoiding me for a month. And I wanna be friends again." Naruto said sheepishly, "Like... Konohamaru's going out with her sister and she hates me, but I don't want Hinata to hate me." Sasuke sighed. The 'sob story' was really starting to get to him.  
"Whatever idiot, just get out my room." Naruto trudged out and Sasuke got dressed. When he ran down the stairs they were gathered around the computer with Itachi who was going through pictures of his party posted online by friends.

"And this is me and Hinata... Ino and Hinata and _this_ is Naruto throwing up behind two hotties oh and here's some girl jumping on Sasuke." Sasuke coughed and they all looked up, "Oh Sasuke, I was just about to show them the picture of you and Hinata asleep." Sasuke growled and Kiba laughed. Itachi swirled around on his seat. "Hey, you're going out right?"  
"Yeah, what about it?"  
"I'll give you a fiver to pick up some books for me."  
"Fine." His older brother passed him a few bank notes with a slip of paper- it looked like a printed off receipt and Sasuke thrust them into his back pocket and headed for the door. "You guys coming or not?" he yelled when he got there.

His friends eventually strolled out, he was already waiting in his car with the engine revving. Naruto and Kiba had these stupid grins plastered on their faces and Sai was shaking his head.  
"So... when didja get Hinata in your bed you lucky bastard?" Kiba asked.  
"Itachi's party." Naruto yelped in surprise.  
"When did that happen?"  
"When he said someone broke into my room. He lied." Naruto punched him in the arm.  
"Dude you could have said!"  
"You didn't ask."  
"So... Did-"  
"Nothing happened Sai you pervert."  
"I'm not surprised...if the girl liked _Naruto _she's not exactly going to drop her knickers for _you_. She's probably into idiots."  
"You suck you know that?" Kiba butted in. "Sasuke actually likes a girl and here you go putting him down- do you want a kicked ass?"  
"I'm just speaking the truth."  
"Don't need you fighting my battles Kiba." Sasuke retorted, "I could just get creepy fan girls to get him back."  
"Isn't that a little cruel?"  
"For Sai?... Nah."

.

Kiba wanted to buy Hana some sort of throw thing for her bed, apparently she'd been eying this certain one for a few months but didn't have the money for it. Sai was trying to pick up girls who kind of just... stared at his abs through his black t-shirt. Naruto was complaining about how Hana would want something 'awesome... like an Xbox 360!' and Sasuke was waiting at the entrance so he could go get those books for Itachi...

Actually... he could go pick them up now. Everyone was busy. They wouldn't notice. He was two strides away from the entrance when Hinata and her younger sister passed him.  
"Hey."  
"O-oh hi. W-what are you doing here?"  
"Yeah- are you stalking her?" Hanabi accused.  
"I'm getting some stuff for Itachi... no big deal. Shopping with your mum right?"  
"Y-yeah... I-I'm taking Hanabi t-to the food court."  
"Cool, I better go before the three idiots notice I'm gone."  
"I-it was nice s-seeing you again..."  
"Bye doofus. Hinata come on~ you said you'd treat me~"

Well that couldn't be more awkward. As he walked away he could hear Hanabi giving Hinata teasing little remarks about their exchange. How was it he'd only had about... three moments really _alone_ with her since he revealed his interest in her? Was he such a bad guy that people were trying to prevent him from 'tainting' her. Sasuke sighed again. Those people... Ino, Hanabi... Sakura, he got slightly angrier as he thought about how Sakura had caused Hinata to avoid him for three weeks- they all just needed to leave Hinata alone with him and let him work his pretty boy magic. He found the bookstore and walked in, the counter was right by the door and there was no line, it's like God wanted him to suffer through the boringness of watching Kiba figure out which of the exact same throws his sister would prefer by their smell. Their smell! Couldn't he just buy the first one and spray it with something? Jeez... Naruto and Sai were going to be stuck in that shop for ages. He handed the cashier the money and the receipt and the cash.  
"I'm here to pick these up for my older brother."  
"Do you have proof of ID?"  
"Driver's licence."  
"Ok well, here s your change and your books." He was handed a plastic bag that had about five books wrapped in cardboard packaging. It was probably something stupid that Itachi didn't want him to see the cover of like nerdy cheat and tips books for his videogames.

.

"SASUKE! Where were you bro? We bought the stupid throw and you were gone."  
"Hey my sister's gift isn't stupid!"  
"Yeah it is! We were in that shop for an hour! You spent an hour smelling two of the stupid things!" Well... it was good that Sasuke didn't stay for the boring and weird moment. Naruto and Kiba were probably going to get into a louder more annoying fight, Sasuke turned to Sai.  
"... Do you wanna just leave these two here?"  
"I'm up for that." The two dark-haired boys walked away from their lively companions who were so engrossed in their argument over the smells of bed throws- Kiba claiming that if the throw smelt like home it'd be better and Naruto screaming that no one cared about smells of blankets. "So Sasuke... Are you gonna ask out Hinata again or are you going for that 'just friends' bull?"  
"We can be 'friends'..." Sasuke sighed, "But then I'm going to pull my moves on her."  
"Let's hope they work this time..."  
"Shut up man. They'll work. She's warming up to me."  
"So she's not hot for you yet?" Sasuke shot Sai a look and his friend was wearing that annoying smile, "Bet that's a challenge for you."  
"Well you know how I like a challenge." Sai turned behind to see their two friends running behind them swinging their bags of shopping around like weapons. "Oh and uh- the idiots are following after us." Sasuke smirked at his friend, they were both thinking the same thing. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Before Sai could reply, Sasuke was long gone- already far ahead and getting further from Sai who then decided to run away as well. Naruto and Kiba exclaimed further anger at being left behind again and started running after the duo.

Sasuke got to his car first, he was panting for breath as he leaned on the car waiting for the three amigos to catch up. Naruto was next and he was followed by Kiba who _just_ beat Sai. They all began laughing heavily- except for Sai that is, he just chuckled like an old guy.  
"You bastard..." Naruto breathed, "If you ever... leave us again, when you're the ride... I'ma kick your ass." He jokingly punched Sasuke on the shoulder and the guys got in to the car. Not so bad this weekend, Sasuke got a date... or hanging out with Hinata or whatever it was that they did on Saturday and today instead of freaking out about homework, he was going to chill with his buds. It was the last week of the half term anyway- no teachers were going to collect anything.  
"Hey- so uh, Sasuke... you know how your house is awesome? You should throw an end of term party."  
"I'll think about it. I don't know if my parents'll let me because Itachi's party wrecked our front room."  
"So you're going to throw the party?"  
"Pretty much..."  
"_Awesome_!" Naruto and Kiba sang. They tried to high five each other but with Naruto sitting in the passenger seat and Kiba sitting directly behind them it sort of failed. They then decided once they got out of the car they'd redo their high five to match the awesomeness of Sasuke throwing a party.  
"If I'm throwing the party you guys are going to be on clean up duty. Just so you know." This was 'not awesome' for Naruto and Kiba who would probably sneak out towards the end and come back an hour after the last car was gone so that they'd do minimum helping.

After driving to Kiba's house they all played Mario SuperSmash Brawl on the Wii in his bedroom and ate Chinese take out. The beautiful thing about Kiba's house is that he lived around the corner from a Chinese restaurant that s most expensive meal was £4.50 and where the portions were gigantic!  
Kiba sat on the bed with his puppy Akamaru on his stomach scratching behind the dog's ears. Sai was doodling and Naruto was complaining that Sasuke was cheating. After wining... again Sasuke passed the controller on to Kiba. He stared at Itachi's bag of books. What books were they anyway? Moments of rustling and tearing later Sasuke was staring in disbelief at the hardback covers of the books. It... No! Itachi WHY! It was a bunch of vampire books- it looked like Itachi had gotten the entire collection. Sasuke looked down upon vampire cooks ever since Twilight came out- mainly due to girls assuming he was some sort of non vampire Edward Cullen. What kind of vampire sparkled anyway? Not Dracula... or Alucard from Hellsing- _that_ was a vampire.  
"You guys... I'm heading out."  
"Peace."  
"Later."  
"I'm serious about that party man!" Sasuke scoffed, Naruto was serious _only_ when parties were involved.. And sometimes Sakura, who hadn't bugged him today- yet another reason to love lazy Sundays.

.

Itachi was in the living room, his parents had told him to do the weirdest thing- lecturing Sasuke on 'safe sex' because apparently he had spent the night at Hinata's house and her parents were worried for their daughter's safety. His mother blatantly wasn't going to do it- she liked to maintain the idea that Sasuke and Itachi would 'remain pure' until marriage and their father was just not into talking about that sort of stuff... Trust the two of them to get stuck with the most prudish parents in existence. He had just changed the channel on the television when several books were dropped onto his stomach.  
"What the hell?"  
"Vampire books Itachi? I thought we had a deal." He stared up at his younger brother.  
"They're not for me... it's for Ino. Like a parting gift or something."  
"Right..."  
"Hey, she's signing me off for extra curricular activities."  
"Right..."  
"You're not buying it are you?"  
"Not one bit, anyway, I'm keeping your change. You want anything?"  
"Yeah- use a condom next time you and Hinata have a sleepover." Sasuke stared at him.  
"W-what?"  
"Apparently her dad saw you drive off in a car that had been there all night... so uh- he put two and two together; called mum and dad and _I_ have to tell you to engage in safe sex." Sasuke shook his head, awkward. "So remember- 'no glove no love' and ah... 'no means no', so don't go pressuring her if you want to keep your balls."  
"We didn't even do anything!"  
"Yeah but I know you wanted to. I'll let you think about the consequences of your actions and go wrap these books for Ino. Peace little brother."

With that Itachi had poked Sasuke in the middle of the forehead and left. He checked in on Sasuke again half an hour later and the younger Uchiha was busy staring into space with a twitch on his left brow. That's right... operation mind fuck worked like a charm every time.

* * *

So... chapter 10. Now we know what's going on as to Sakura and Karin's plotting- see I even got lovely little Suigetsu in there..even if he's a pervert... but at least he still teases Karin. First it was going to end with Hinata and Ino's phone conversation... but there's too much Hinata and not enough Sasukeness... again I want to show theres more than one side to him... there's the face for Hinata, the one reserved for his family and now the one reserved for his friends. In the manga Sasuke's really _looovely_ when it comes to his family... before the whole massacre thing.

There was something else I was going to write down here... I've completely forgotten what it was- oh wait no. I remember now. The cyberpolice and backtracking references that Suigetsu made are based on the jessieslaughter/ kerligirl13 meme's going around on the internet... it's harsh that 4chan ruined an 11 year old's life... but what's she doing posting stuff like that on t'internets (She Dun Goof'd!)... anyway... it made me lol reminding me of my old trolling days... anyway. I'm asuming the american readers know about it because I heard it was on the news at sometime... Anywayys as for the Suigetsu hacking details, I'm not sure if they're accurate because I've never been hacking/hacked so it's going to be vauge... I'm asuming that it's possible to do that because I read it in a manga called Dengeki Daisy that's about a hacker... or is he a cracker? Anyway I'm going to trust this guys research. Constructive criticism please.


	11. Chapter 11

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Chapter 11... I'm wondering why it is I can easily write about 6000 words of fanficiton and yet have such trouble writing a 4000 word essay. Remember the one I mentioned at the begining of this story? Well I have to do a second draft... and Japanese homework... biology coursework... and art homework... and get used to having lunch insanely early and 3 lessons before the end of school (it's going to be a toturous year).

Anyway, I hope that those of you who are hoping for the introduction of other characters are pleased... I've decided I needed roughly about three more... And this is the monday after the sunday- when it comes to the matching outfits of Hinata and Ino and the guys when it comes to later chapters about Ino's last week I think I'm going to keep it a lot simpler. So here's chapter 11, do enjoy.

* * *

Ino woke up. Today was her last Monday in her room. The room she'd been in since her parents had successfully kicked her out of their bed at age 2. She'd had so many experiences in this room... Her first sleepover was her favourite. It was amusing to have her parents walk past the doors every five minutes and all seven girls pretended to fall asleep until they left, only resulting in more chatter at how smart they were for fooling her parents. Her outfit was lain out on the suitcase; her possessions were already shipped off to her mother s new address.

It was another fifteen minutes before Inochi knocked on the door reminding her to get up and get ready for school- how he'd had breakfast made for her already. He was treading on eggshells around her, probably worried that she'd snap at him for sending her away... or letting her get taken away. Ino slammed the door to the bathroom and searched for a towel and a toothbrush, she jumped into the shower and as she was air drying she brushed her teeth with a brand that was supposed to whiten as well as clean your mouth of bacteria. Her hair was soaked and so she tied it up in a bun to prevent her clothes getting wet.

Grey pencil skirt and matching fitted blazer, check. Purple blouse, check. Black waist belt, check. Flesh tights, check. Beloved 'grandpa' heels, check. Ino was set for school. Hinata was going to wear a similar outfit to her, even Chouji and Shikamaru got dragged into it. The boys were told to wear grey suits with the lavender shirts and purple ties she knew that they both owned (because she'd gifted them last Christmas). They were going to look adorably sad, but Ino was going to make this a week of memories, if that meant wearing the same outfit- something she liked to avoid- to show solidarity amongst friends. When she stepped down the stairs her dad was already finishing up his breakfast. He'd cooked her scrambled eggs with bacon; it was a shared favourite in their family.  
"It's my last Monday at school..." she said solemnly.  
"I know piglet, I know..." he put on his blazer for his suit, "I'll wait for you in the car."  
"Dad?"  
"Yes baby?"  
"Can we pick up Hinata and Chouji?" He chuckled and ruffled her hair.  
"No Shikamaru then?"  
"He get's his own lift all the time..."  
"Okay then. We'll make the detour."  
"Thanks." She beamed. Hey- it wasn't all doom and gloom. Inochi walked out of the door with car keys jingling in hand and Ino finished her breakfast. She grabbed the hairbrush that she and her father both used- they couldn't stand having their long blond hair looking horrible when they left the house so the hairbrush was always but the mirror. She combed out the kinks caused by her bun and tied up her locks as a ponytail.

Hinata hadn't disappointed Ino at all. She looked spectacular in their matching outfit. Ino had even stepped out of the car to take pictures- well, Inochi took the pictures, Ino and Hinata posed outside of the car. It was good that Ino always left for school early. Chouji walked past Hinata's house in a grey suit, he however was wearing a white shirt- the purple tie was there though.  
"What happened to the shirt?" Ino questioned him. Chouji shrugged, he pulled a packet of crisps out of his pocket and told Ino with a full mouth that,  
"It doesn't fit anymore." And then they took more pictures. No doubt Ino and Hinata's cameras would both be full at the end of the day.

It was annoying that Ino only had one class with Hinata that day, it was also the last lesson she had on the Monday. She had two lessons with Shikamaru and three with Chouji. She hadn't heard anything of Sasuke's weekend with Hinata so imagine the shock she had when she heard two girls talking at the back of the class about Hinata.  
"Can you believe that she did that?"  
"I totally thought she was nice, I didn't think that Hinata girl was such a slut. Taking pictures of it? I mean come on!"  
"Like she didn't flaunt it around that she's sleeping with Sasuke." It was then that Ino interrupted.  
"Excuse me? What were you saying about my friend?" One of the girls clamped her mouth shut but the other- a red head named Karin continued to speak as though she was challenging Ino.  
"There are pictures of your 'friend' circulating the school stripping and also getting into bed with Sasuke Uchiha. It's like she took pictures and wanted the world to know."  
"How did you get these pictures?"  
"E-mailed them, like everyone else in the year did. I'm not surprised if they're on the internet by now." Karin laughed smugly. "Guess Naruto missed out on easy pickings."  
"Don't talk about her like that!" Ino had to restrain herself from slapping the girl outright. At break she and Hinata were going to have a little talk. She needed to be warned of what poison was circulating the school.

.

Suigetsu almost slapped himself in first period. Hinata walked in looking... fine. He didn't know she was in any of his classes. He almost felt kind of bad for how innocently she was acting when it came to the whispers and odd looks. She confidently walked up to him which surprised him the most.  
"A-are you Suigetsu?" Did someone blab about him sending the viral?  
"Yeah, what's it to ya'?" The raven haired girl pulled out a purple iPod.  
"Someone told me you were good with computers... and I-uh... I was wondering if you c-could help me."  
"No problem, what do you need sunshine?"  
"M-my friend is leaving in half-term... s-so we got her this iPod... b-but I don't want any of the t-things we put on it to uh- be erased if she w-wants to p-put more music onto it..."  
"So you just want me to tinker with the iPod?"  
"P-please."  
"You know I charge for this stuff right?" Hinata cast him a puppy dog face and his guilt multiplied. She didn't know he was the reason she was the talk of the school. "But for a sweet thing like you... I'll do it for free."  
"T-thanks."  
"No problem." he smirked. Hinata took a seat next to him, they didn't have a seating plan, and the teachers thought they were mature enough to pick seats that wouldn't inhibit their learning. "Whoa-whoa-whoa, why're you sitting here?"  
"W-well... I'd feel bad i-if you did all this for f-free," Hinata bit her bottom lip nervously, "A-are you sure you d-don't want a p-payment?" Not one of the fiscal kind. He thought, especially when she bit that lip. She was a freaking seductress.

"Well if you wanted you could repay me in sexual favours," he suggested. But the shock on her face made him take it back, he was about to tell her he was kidding (no he wasn't) when a boy with dark hair turned to face them.  
"If she's giving out sexual favours I want in." He stared at Hinata's cleavage which- was on show due to the lavender blouse's cut. "Wouldn't pass up a chance with those."  
"Turn around turd-for-brains." Suigetsu snapped at him.  
"Oh right, she belongs to Uchiha. Off limits are we?"  
"Wha-what are you talking about?"  
"Like you don't know..." the boy chuckled, before Hinata could question him anymore the teacher ordered him to look forward and pay attention to the lesson. Suigetsu saw the girl next to him scribbling furiously away, first he thought she was just making notes; then she slid a piece of paper onto his side of the desk.

_Do you know what he's talking about? :S_  
'Some rumour spreading around that you and SU slept together Sat. night.'  
_WHAT? I'm going to kill him! __:C _Ha-ha, did she love using smilies?  
'I don't think SU spread it. He's been beating up dudes left, right and centre for talking about you like that douche did.' Suigetsu shuddered when he thought about what Sasuke would do to him if he ever found out who the source of the leaked 'photos' was.  
_Well then how did the rumour spread?_  
'There are pictures...'

"P-pictures? O-of what?"

'You... in a bra... him getting into your bed... stuff like that.'

Hinata was shocked beyond words. Was some guy taking photos of her in her room? And how? Her curtains were shut that night, there was no way that photos could have been taken. Boy oh boy did Suigetsu feel guilty now... or maybe it was his empty stomach?

.

"Hey Sakura~" Karin sang, "I did it." She took a chug from the flavoured water bottle in Sakura's hands. Strawberry, of course.  
"I know I saw the pictures. D-did they really? You know... do it?" Karin laughed.  
"That _prude_? Please... I'd actually be surprised if she knew what sex entailed. And Ino looks like she's going to kill me, laugh out loud."  
"Ino knows about it?"  
"Well she knows the pictures have been sent." Sakura scouted the area, they were alone in their area of the 'sixth form centre'.  
"Sasuke's been beating up guys today." She whispered, "First Sai from English said something about her boobs, then Kiba asked what she was like... they've both been sent to the nurses office. They're lucky they're his friends- they might be in _hospital_ otherwise!"  
"Let's just hope he doesn't find Suigetsu... That guy'll spew his guts."  
"And then Sasuke'll know it was us?"  
"Well it's most likely that Suigetsu will reveal me... but, because you put in most of the money... I'll drag you down in the dirt with me."  
"You're a real bitch do you know that?"  
"Yeah and so are you, so it looks like we're in the same boat. Toodles, I'm off to find Sui." Karin danced away just as Ino stormed towards Sakura.

"I hate that red headed bitch." Ino fumed. "You should have seen the way she was talking about Hinata! Ugh- I wanted to slap her." The blonde took a bite out of a sausage roll and the pastry stuck to her lips. "Would anyone mind if I killed her?"  
"Ino, Karin's one of my friends." Sakura protested. "Even if she's a bit..."  
"A bit? Sakura that bitch is crazy! If you're not careful she might drag you into something." Ino finished her sausage roll and cleared her lips. "Have you seen Hinata? I haven't seen her all break. I need to talk to her." Sakura shrugged, in reality she hadn't seen Hinata. She normally never did, they didn't have a lot of classes together. Naruto walked past them no doubt about to ask Sakura out on a date. "Naruto!"  
"Ino!" he blond grinned. "How can I help ya'?"  
"Have you seen Hinata? Just so you know, she looks a little different today, more fabulous... we are wearing matching outfits and we're supposed to be taking pictures right now and I hear that Sasuke or someone has been spreading pictures around about her?" The girl gasped for breath. "I'm gonna kill whoever did this." Naruto scratched his head confused, was Ino asking him if he'd seen Hinata or if Sasuke was the one who emailed everyone photos of the two of them in erm... what could be interpreted as a 'sexual' situation.  
"Wha?" he weakly got out, "Ino, you're confusin' me here!"  
"Have. You. Seen. Hinata? We are matching today."  
"Nope."  
"Well have you seen Sasuke?"  
"Whoaaaaa- Ino. Before you jump the gun. Sasuke is way more mad than you are. He's beaten up two guys already." Sakura nodded, she'd seen him beat the crap out of a non-too wise Sai. "There's no way he talked about it... I mean, I'd of been first to know instead of like, the hundredth."

.

When the bell for break rang, Hinata left the room faster than she'd ever ran in heels before. Suigetsu had really opened a can of funk on her day. She ran into Sasuke by her locker.  
"Did you know about these pictures?" he snarled at her.  
"I just found out t-this morning! In l-lessons!" she whimpered in response. "T-that guy... he- he said t-that someone sent a viral something?"  
"What guy?"  
"Some guy... from Psychology. H-he was sitting i-in front of me a-and... And Suigetsu."  
"If it's a viral, Suigetsu'll be able to help us. Do you even know him?"  
"N-no.. .b-but he's going to h-help with Ino's going away gift."  
"C'mon." Sasuke dragged her in search of the platinum haired teen. A group of their peers were watching them knowingly. They probably thought they were going to find an empty room to make out in. He had a small plan, Hinata totally wasn't going to go for it. He had found the room Suigetsu was chilling in, he was with a tall, ginger boy built like a boulder. Hinata was trying to catch her breath behind him. His hand was still firmly gripped on her forearm. "Hinata, just play along with this."  
"Play along? P-play a-along with wha-" Sasuke pulled her into his arms and crushed her lips with his own. He said play along- so she did, her hands flowed through his hair and one of his arms gripped her waist and the other opened a door and pulled the two of them in. The second the door was closed they released each other and she noticed there were two other people in the room- Suigetsu and another boy who she'd never seen before. Sasuke seemed to know who they were, but she was still clueless as to who this tall, muscled stranger was. She stepped closer towards Sasuke because this boy made her uncomfortable.

"You said something to her about a viral email." Sasuke stated. "I want you to find out who did it."  
"Well, I could do that..." Suigetsu started, "But I'm going to need your pretty girlfriend to leave us for a second." And Sasuke more or less sent her out into the hallway to face the wolves.

.

"Get rejected then Hyuuga?" Some girl teased. "Maybe someone should have told you Sasuke gets bored with girls who are easy." She had messy red hair and wire frame glasses, her uniform was... well, it didn't fit with the regulations for the sixth form uniform the school had set- they used to have a set uniform from the school until year eleven, in year twelve the school allowed them to wear their own clothes provided they looked suitable for work and business.  
"D-did you learn that f-first hand then?" Oh goodness. Did she just say that?

.

"Okay Uchiha, I already know who sent the viral." Suigetsu said, Sasuke edged forward and so did the red headed boy. "See, but there's some terms I wanna set before I disclose the information you got it?"  
"What terms?"  
"You're not allowed to attack me when I tell ya'. If ya do, my pal Juugo here's gonna sort you out."  
"Whatever... who sent them?"  
"I did. Now before you go all crazy, I'm gonna tell you somethin', it was a job I did for someone, so I'm impartial to whatever's going on or whatever."  
"Who paid you off?"  
"One of my... acquaintances."  
"How did you even get the images?"  
"C'mon Sasuke. Don't insult my intelligence. I was taught by Kisame, you know I'm just as good a hacker as he is... if not better. Controlling someone else s computer isn't something that's hard to do at my level." Suigetsu pulled out a lollipop and chewed on it.  
"So what- you didn't want Hinata to find out or what?"  
"Well... yeah- besides, I'm doing her a favour."  
"By posting virals."  
"By helping her out for free actually." A shrill scream made them stop their meeting, Juugo was the first one outside and he pulled a raging Karin off of Hinata.

.

"You're such a whore! How _dare _you talk to me like that? I don't care if Sasuke likes you I'm gonna skin ya' alive!" Hinata didn't look that worse for wear, just a few ladders on her tights, a missing school badge and a rip in one of the seams of her skirt. "I'm glad I got those pictures of you around the school- now everyone knows what a slut you are!" Hinata just stared in horrific amazement at her peer. Why would someone do _anything_ like that? Over a boy! A boy who Hinata wasn't even sure she liked! If this is how other females acted Hinata was glad she had befriended righteous Ino before some harpy like this had gotten their claws into her.  
"It was you?" Sasuke yelled, he turned to Suigetsu who looked away so as not to incriminate his friend, "It was her wasn't it?" The malice in his voice had scared Hinata.  
"S-sasuke leave it! P-please." But by now he had already ripped Karin from Juugo's arms and was starting down the hallway. "Sasuke!" The dark haired girl watched in vain as Sasuke ignored her request, she'd never seen anyone so angry before. Suigetsu beside her sighed.  
"Fucking feeding the real-life trolls." He turned to Hinata, "If he listened to you... she probably would've tried to do something worse." Hinata looked back through the past three weeks... little things had happened, things that she had ignored because they really weren't important, her locker being defaced, things going missing, calls from anonymous people that lasted a few seconds and were often silent.  
"W-why? I d-didn't do anything..."  
"Karin is jealous... and crazy. Come on, I'll help clean you up but keep your mouth shut about it, what have you got next?"  
"E-English."  
"Dilzoe's class?"  
"Yes... O-oh I-Ino's going to be s-so mad. She r-really doesn't l-like Karin."  
"Bare people don't." Juugo nodded in agreement, helped Hinata up and left before she could say 'thank you' "He's not a people person, don't worry about it." Suigetsu reassured her as they walked down to their next lesson.

.

Karin sat in the head teacher's waiting room. Suigetsu and Juugo had left her fate in Sasuke's hands and he was pissed. The boy she held such high respect for had frog marched her to the office and demanded that she be seen by the head teacher. The poor receptionist didn't know what to do- it was her first day at the sixth form centre so she allowed them through without first gaining the consent of the two head of years- like they were available anyway. And it was all that stupid Hinata girl's fault. Karin crossed her legs and shot a glare at their year photo where she could instantly make out the face of Hinata in the front row- even without her glasses which were abandoned somewhere on the floor snapped into three pieces.

"Sasuke, the head will see you now."

.

"Sakura! Didja hear what happened?" Naruto yelled in her ear.  
"No. What?"  
"Well, you know those pictures of Hinata? Karin was the one who spread them about!"  
"People know? Does Sasuke know?"  
"Dude Sasuke's out for blood. And then she attacked Hinata! Can you believe it? Like Sasuke didn't already hate her..." That's right, Sasuke would hate her if he ever found out she was part of this... he told her to leave it and she just didn't. Why? "Man, I wish I was there?"  
"Naruto!"  
"What- everyone's talking about it... I thought you'd be the one interested."  
"You wanted to see Hinata get attacked? Naruto that's not right!" She was one to talk, the second those words came out of her mouth Sakura felt like a hypocrite. Here she was scolding Naruto over an occurrence that she had added fuel to... if she hadn't gone and ranted to Karin, maybe this wouldn't have happened. She was going to get dragged into the dirt for the second time that time, again because of Sasuke Uchiha and her unhealthy fascination with him.  
"Hey I didn't mean like that but... word is Hinata can actually fight... and then Karin's crazy and well... we haven't had a catfight recently."  
"I can't believe you just said that! That's my friend you're talking about you idiot!" Sakura was about to pound him when Ino pulled the blond boy down.  
"Who's your friend Sakura? Hinata or Karin? Because I heard about what happened too... totally ruined my _last_ Monday at school."  
"W-well, they're both my friends." Sakura stammered. Ino had that look in her eye, no doubt she was suspicious. "What do you mean last Monday? It's only half term! We'll see each other the week after."  
"No actually, that's not what I meant. Forehead I thought you'd remember the news I gave you three weeks ago." Ino stormed off, obviously not wanting to talk to her pink haired friend.  
"Naruto... what's she on about."  
"She's moving to Korea next week, come on! Even _I_ knew that and I was the last to find out Hinata liked me!" Of course... Ino was leaving... how could she forget? What kind of friend was she? She was so busy giving Hinata the cold shoulder she'd completely blocked from her mind the fact that her best friend was leaving the country, there was no use running after her now. Ino was protective of Hinata, ever since Sasuke explained his interest in the smaller girl Ino had gotten ever so more protective, she threatened Sakura once for hurting her and that was just a small unintentional emotional strike. Ino'd destroy her if she knew that Sakura had plotted against Hinata. "Sakura? Sakura are you ok? Do you want me to get you anything? I mean anything- anything you want." Naruto was so sweet to offer that. She didn't deserve him, why did he like her in the first place? She was a horrible person... helping the hoard of girls get 'revenge' on Hinata simply because they wanted to be in her position... Ino would hate to know that one of her best friends was one of the generals of the army against her other.  
"No... I'm fine..." she looked longingly at the direction Ino had left in, still hearing her friends heels clicking on the hall floor she apologised for leaving him standing there and headed towards her. But the bell rang. Break was over... And she didn't have any classes with Ino that day. Their friendship was screwed... wasn't it?

.

The head teacher sighed as he observed the dark haired boy in front of him.  
"Are you telling me... that Karin, one of your peers, is bullying Hinata?"  
"Physically, about three minutes ago." he replied bluntly.  
"Then why hasn't Hinata come forward?"  
"She doesn't like causing trouble, and she always feels like she's bothering someone. There's no way Hinata'd grass up Karin. Plus she's quiet as a freaking mouse."  
"And what role do you play in this?" The head teacher stroked his beard in thought, "You're not one to meddle in the affairs of girls, could it be that Hinata-"  
"I like her. The girls that like me are bothering her, it's my problem because it's my fault."  
"Aah! So it's out of guilt you come here?" he chuckled, "As well as love." Sasuke just stared at the old man. Was he nuts? He said he liked the girl- there was nothing mentioned about love- yeah... he liked her more than he would a friend or a best friend but he was a teenager, like he knew what love was. The coot was definitely putting pieces of a puzzle together that didn't quite fit.  
"I said_ like_, not love."  
"So we're referring to the primary school definition of 'like' then? Karin 'likes' you- so she's bothering the girl you 'like'..."  
"No, Karin is a psycho bitch who is obsessed with me and she's trying to tear apart the girl I like because she's jealous."  
"Sasuke mind your language. I still find it hard to believe such a sweet girl would do anything like that-"  
"Then call in Hinata and ask her how Karin attacked her while she was in the corridors. Juugo in the year above had to pry her off of Hinata."  
"Very well, stay outside, I want to speak to Karin, please send her in."

.

All eyes were on Hinata as she walked to class accompanied by Suigetsu. They sat down in the only two seats available- coincidently next to each other. She searched for Sasuke but to no avail, he wasn't in the room. She shrugged off her blazer, it was too obviously linked to the incident with Karin, her school pin was torn off of the lapel and it left a horrid gash in the material... her mother was going to kill her- this was a new suit.

'Sorry about Karin, she's crazy' Suigetsu slid the note across her table. Was this make a new friend day?  
_Don't worry about it... I just hope Sasuke doesn't make a big deal out of it..._  
'U n me both know he will :P'  
_Yeah... that's sad u.u'_  
'When do u need the iPod for?'  
_When can you have it ready for me?_  
'I could do it tonight.'

A knock at the door made everyone look up from their work. The teacher stopped reading 'Chronicles of a Death Foretold' out loud and told the visitor to come in. The receptionist from the main school office popped her head around the door.  
"Could we borrow Hinata for a while?" While Hinata put her blazer back on, code of conduct had to be followed when you see the head teacher or even the assistant heads, that meant proper uniform- and although Hinata couldn't find her pin that marked her as a member of the sixth form, she wanted to fulfil that code she had signed at the beginning of the year in her student planner as best she could. Students were 'ooh'ing jokingly, suspecting that this was due to her and Karin's clash and that the Hyuuga girl might get punished for being in a fight.

They made another stop on the way to the office; the receptionist collected Juugo from an Ecosystems lesson and told them to carry on towards the main office while she collected the other student. Hinata and the tall Juugo walked in silence for a moment.  
"T-thank you for e-earlier." She managed to say. Juugo shrugged.  
"Sometimes Karin needs to remember where she is." he acted as though it was more an action of putting Karin in her place than protecting Hinata, this disheartened her slightly... "O-oh... B-but still... Thanks."

.

Guilt was plaguing Sakura. She was a 'goody two shoes', this whole drama was way more than anything she was used to. She couldn't even take proper notes or listen to the teacher. She'd began to doodle on her lab coat- everyone who had one did so, mainly so that they wouldn't get stolen.  
"Sakura?"  
"Yes Mrs Mayrs?"  
"You've been called to the head teachers office," the teacher turned to the receptionist- when did she get there? _I must really be out of it if I didn't notice that she came in. _Sakura thought. "Will she be gone for the rest of the lesson? I'm talking about their coursework requirements."  
"No, shouldn't take long at all." The receptionist assured her.

The head teacher's office was yet another new experience for Sakura. Why so much in such a small amount of time?

.

"Karin... I've heard some disheartening things about you. That you've been bullying another student."  
"I have done nothing of the sort." the red headed girl haughtily replied.  
"Then what about this incident involving Hinata?"  
"A small misunderstanding."  
"A physical 'misunderstanding', I doubt that Karin."  
"Ok fine, so I hit her, but she called me a whore."  
"Again, I highly doubt that Karin."  
"Doubt it all you want, it's my story."  
"Very well..."

.

Hinata had only just sat down when Sasuke and Karin exchanged places- the Uchiha had just walked out of the small office and Karin was entering. She was too unnerved to look him in the eye so she just stared at her hands until she was called into the same office.

"H-hello Mr. Ha-Harrington."  
"Hinata, please sit. Why didn't you come to someone over your bullying?"  
"I-I didn't think i-it was so b-bad... I-I had other things o-on my mind, I-Ino's leaving next week a-and... I guess I just b-blocked it o-out."  
"Regardless, this is a very serious issue. We like to believe that our school is a safe environment. You should have reported it to a senior member of staff."  
"I-I really didn't notice a-anything... J-just some t-things missing from m-my locker or-or my bag."  
"And today's event?"  
"I really w-wasn't hurt... I-it was sort o-of my fault a-anyway."  
"How so?"  
"W-when Karin approached me... I-uh... retaliated."  
"Go on..."  
"S-she told me that S-sasuke got bored of... I-I don't want to say what she said..."  
"I need to know the details Hinata, the sooner I figure out what to do about this the sooner you can go back to class."  
"S-she said he was e-easily bored by easy girls... a-and I a-asked if she knew from personal e-experience."  
"I see, and then?"  
"W-well... Juugo pulled her o-off of me. I-I'm really fine."  
"But your uniform is damaged."  
"I-ah, I can f-fix it... really."  
"Okay you may leave for your class."

.

The head teacher observed the last student waiting to see him. Juugo was a quiet boy, very engrossed in animals and science, most of the teachers assumed he wanted to be a vet. Despite his sweet inner nature, the boy was physically daunting, his insane height and broad shoulders, not to mention his nonchalant view on human life made him a sort of... frightening.  
"Juugo."  
"Sir."  
"What happened today?"  
"Karin started a fight with Hinata, I do not know or care why she did, but I pulled her off of the girl."  
"Why?"  
"She needed to be reminded where she was. There are rules. If she broke them she'd be gone."  
"Well, does it matter?"  
"Not to me, Suigetsu is friends with her, and she makes him happy. If she's gone, he's not fun to be around."  
"So Karin did physically-"  
"Yes she was on her, can I go? I'm missing my test results."  
"Yes Juugo you can leave now. Tell Karin and Sasuke I want to speak to them."

.

"See Sakura, we need to talk about the marks you received in Biology."  
"Okay, what about them?"  
"Well, you've gotten one hundred percent in the mock exams, we were thinking that if you apply yourself during half term and the rest of the school year that you could take the whole A-level this year."  
"Really? That's it?"  
"Yes, but we'd need your parents permission, so here's a letter to hand to them. It has all the details."  
"Thanks." the pink haired girl beamed. She wasn't in trouble at all. Karin totally bluffed. She was safe!

The girl all but skipped back down to her science lab. She saw the threatening upperclassman Juugo was on his way to the labs also; it wasn't a secret that he excelled in the knowledge and physical strength departments, a shame his looks and behaviour didn't match else he'd be one of those more 'desirable' boys. He brushed past her and she all but flew into the wall.  
"Karin says to watch out. And that what was said stands."

Maybe she wasn't so safe after all...

.

Again, for the umpteenth time in a row this term, Sasuke was the talk of the year. His actions concerning Hinata and Karin had placed him as the character of 'Knight in shining amour', Hinata as the 'damsel in distress' and Karin as the 'jealous hag'. And yet... Hinata seemed miffed that he had gone to the office, did she really hate confrontation that much? Then again, she probably preferred to live in her own imaginative bubble where the only big change was Ino moving country. In English when he walked in halfway through the lesson she didn't even look up from her conversation with that Suigetsu, Sasuke wondered if she'd still ignore him for Suigetsu if she knew he was the one who had spread the scandalous photos- even if he was 'hired'. At the lunch bell Suigetsu left "Hinata are we going for lun-"  
"I'm spending the day with I-Ino."  
"What about tomorrow?"  
"I-we... we have half days t-tomorrow."  
"Then you can come to my house."  
"T-that's not h-happening. I-I'm picking u-up my cousin."  
"Can't that wait?"  
"I h-haven't seen him a-all year... a-and I-I'm really busy t-this week."  
"So you're just going to avoid me this week... I thought we were past that."  
"I-I asked you t-to leave it a-alone and y-you ignored me." Hinata accused, "I-if we d-didn't make a big deal o-out of it they'll g-get bored a-and.. a-and they'll s-stop."  
"That's bullshi-"  
"I-I've been bullied before, I t-think I'd know what w-works..." Well Hinata was definitely getting colder towards him. She left him in her search for Ino so that they could take pictures or whatever the hell it was Ino and Hinata wanted to do together.

.

The signal for the end of school was met with graciousness from all the students; Sakura was glad that she was finally out of the confines of the school walls and the gazes she kept imagining from red-headed classmates, Sasuke was relieved that he could finally escape the whispers of the nosey parkers who kept intruding on his personal life. Hinata walked out of one of the many school entrances with Ino on one arm and Chouji on the other. Shikamaru had his arm around Ino's waist and both of their bags on his shoulder. As the group spilt up for the way home Ino declared that they all were to wear blue shirts the next day.

Ino and Shikamaru headed to his father's car and they drove off, then Chouji and Hinata headed down the school road. They got honked a couple times by someone in a olive green Ford Ka but ignored it as it was likely to be some obnoxious teenager. The car drove around the corner and stopped at the pavement crossing. A male and female got out, they both had brown hair. The girl wore green Capris and a pink shirt and her hair were dressed in an adorable bun fashion, the male wore brown shorts and a plain beige T-shirt with long sleeves. His hair was longer than Hinata's and was tied in a low ponytail down his back. Hinata recognised him at once and her face lit up.  
"Neji!" Chouji smiled at his friends child-like enthusiasm. Hinata had sped up her pace and ran straight into the male's arms. "I-I missed you s-so~ much!" Neji patted his younger cousin's head and hugged her back with just as much enthusiasm. "A-aren't you s-supposed to b-be here tomorrow?"  
"Didn't you miss me?" he teased. "Lee was driving... and he's a maniac behind the wheel... so we got here earlier."  
"I-ah, Neji t-this is C-Chouji. H-he's o-one of my best friends." The two boys nodded in acknowledgement to Hinata's introduction, the girl to his side smiled and introduced herself.  
"Hey, I'm Tenten, I don't think we've met before."  
"I guess not." Chouji replied blushing, other than Ino and Hinata a lot of girls didn't really take the time of day to talk to him just for the sake of conversation- they certainly weren't as nice to him- just because he was a bit bigger than the desired boys... and Tenten was cute... in a tomboyish way. "Ah, Hinata I'll leave you with your cousin then... Peace."  
"B-bye Chouji, I'll s-see you tomorrow."

.

Hinata and Tenten pulled out the mattress under the bed in the spare room. Apparently Hiashi had said Tenten and Lee could stay along with Neji for the half term, Tenten would be sleeping in Hanabi's room and Neji and Lee would be spending their stay in the only spare room in the house. At the moment the two boys were playing a videogame downstairs with Hanabi.  
"So uh... has Neji said anything about me?..." Tenten asked shyly. "Since the last visit I mean..."  
"N-not really... s-sorry." Hinata knew that Tenten had secretly harboured a crush on her older cousin, Neji of course didn't even think of his best friend in that way... then again maybe they were going to be new Ino and Shikamaru.  
"Aw, don't be!" Tenten exclaimed, "Besides, I think it's starting to fade anyway..."  
"W-what? But you'd b-be so g-good together!" Hinata protested, "A-and... a-and we all l-like you h-here."  
"Yeah... but you know it'd just be weird if I told him-" Tenten sought for a way to divert the conversation. "How's your love life?" she asked and pulled out her twin buns. "Hanabi sent Neji an email about a boy spending the night and he made us leave earlier."  
"H-he knows?"  
"Yeah. If I didn't know him any better... well, if I didn't restrain him as well this 'Sasuke' guy would be dead right now." Hinata was gobsmacked, why did everyone feel like that? Did she emit some sort of scent that caused others to want to protect her? Then again, she was probably reading too much Perfume: Story of a murderer, where the protagonist Jean-Baptiste Grenouille was a master of the olfactory sense; apparently the smell of humans caused them to react in certain ways- it was a very interesting read... if not freaky when she read the scene where the townsfolk- no... That was a weird section of the book that she really ought not to be thinking about because it always made her blush.  
"H-he doesn't need to do anything a-about that..."  
"Hmm, but maybe I should warn this Sasuke-guy? Neji is going to seek him out."  
"N-not if I t-talk to him..."  
"Come on, give me your phone! I promise I won't embarrass your or anything." Hinata handed the other girl her phone and told her what ridiculous name Sasuke had put his number under.

_Hello?_  
"Hi. This is Sasuke right?"  
_Yes. Who's this and why are you calling me on Hinata's phone?_  
"Friend of Hinata's cousin- _anyway_ just wanted to warn you that Neji may or may not want to hunt you down and castrate you with a rusty knife for staying the night in Hinata's room- Hinata don't blush! You're seventeen please don't tell me this is embarrassing for you?"  
_Right... can I talk to Hinata?_ Tenten asked the girl who then shook her head.  
"Well why not? Oh you're mad at him. Sorry Sasuke, looks like our conversation is over." with that Tenten hung up. Hinata pouted, Tenten grinned.

"He sounds really hot... like in that manly sort of way hot not skinny teenager hot. You did good kid." The phone in her hand lit up and vibrated, 'Incoming Call: Sex God' the screen read. Before Hinata could lunge for the phone Tenten had picked it up and was keeping Hinata at arm's distance from the phone.

_Tell Hinata she's invited to a party at my house on Friday. She can bring Ino and her slaves._  
"Oh so I'm not invited?"  
_I don't even know you. Why would I invite you?_  
"Because it's either me, Neji or Lee... and you don't want Neji or Lee to uh- supervise her."  
_Fine. Just make sure she comes._

Sasuke hung up and Tenten pouted.  
"So _that's_ what it feels like getting hung up on. Hinata are you free on Friday?"  
"W-well... we we're going to d-do something with I-Ino and S-sakura..."  
"Change of plans... He said 'Ino and her slaves' could come too, so we're going to a party!"  
"B-but!" Hinata was silenced by Tenten's fingers on her lips.  
"Look, a guy likes you, and you like him- so you and your little in denial butt are going to his party and resolve why you guys are so mad at each other." Hinata tried to give Tenten a glare, the older girl laughed. "Are you seriously glaring at me? I'm _Neji_'s best friend. Nothing you can do will intimidate me."

.

Tenten pulled on the pair of shorts for her pajamas and was searching for the matching top... she was already undressed when she realised that she hadn't packed it. None of her shirts were meant to be slept in, they creased easily... this meant she had to do one thing. She strode from Hanabi's room to the opposite spare room. Neji and Lee were _still_ playing that videogame; they'd moved the console up to the spare room. She coughed in order to get their attention.  
"Lee, do you have a T-shirt I could borrow?" Neji turned his attention from the screen and was lost his lead on Lee. Tenten was in a bra and shorts- not like he hadn't seen her in a bikini or anything.. But her hair was down too. The brunette snapped her fingers in front of his white eyes.  
"Tenten I'm afraid I cannot provide you with a T-shirt to hide your divinity!" Lee exclaimed in anguish. He was so dramatic that most people didn't like hanging out with him, but since they were twelve they formed a special sort of friendship and Tenten was often the peacekeeper... or disciplinary.  
"That's cool Lee. So... Neji?"  
"Wha- oh right yeah." The Hyuuga male pulled out a T-shirt from his suitcase and was hugged by Tenten.  
"Thanks Neji. Oh... Me and Hinata are going out on Friday."  
"Can I-"  
"No. Girls only. I'll fill you in on the details when we get back okay?"  
"Fine." Tenten let go of Neji and joined Hanabi in her room, she wanted to make sure that she had something party worthy... if not... well... Hinata's wardrobe might get raided- for one night that is.

* * *

So I've introduced Team Guy! Oh I love them so... mostly Lee because trying to put his speech together is just hilarious... and a reason to bust out a thesaurus. As you can see... there will be plotty-plotness as well as scheming. Oh scheming. But other than Lee there is one reason I wanted to put Tenten in the story- Ino's leaving... which would leave Hinata with only Sakura as a female 'friend' and I want Tenten to help Hinata through it- of course she's going to be a lot less girly about it... her two friends are boys- it's obvious that she's going to be tomboy, and because of that... she could erm... well, she's going to be very useful for me in later chapters... Constructive criticism please.


	12. Chapter 12

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Hello! It appears my portrayl of Hinata is starting to get annoying... with the whole hot&cold thing she has with Sasuke. If it is coming off as a waste of Sasuke's time, I apologize, but the main part of this fic is Hinata trying to resist Sasuke... so when she indulges in him she cuts him off to remind herself of that... of course... in this chapter, shit's going to go down, for lack of a better vocab. There is also a LOT of POV changes, I trust everyone'll be able to peice together when it's changed... I really don't like putting 'name's POV and such... it's become a little pet hate this year. So, thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter and enjoy.

* * *

The rest of the week passed quickly for Hinata's small group of friends. After seeing what Sasuke had done to two of his best friends the rest of the male population of the school kept their mouths shut about her and after hearing Karin had been excluded with suspension from the choir- her favourite and only activity (second to the unofficial official Sasuke fan club) for the rest of the year, the girls left her alone as well. Maybe she was wrong about ignoring the bullying.

Tuesday they had all worn blue, Sasuke wasn't in that day, which was just as well for her because she was still mad at him- the effects of his rage based actions had not been as widely spread... Tenten and Neji had walked up to the school to pick her up and it looked like they had just been shopping because Tenten had a beautiful grin on her face and Neji was grudgingly holding her bags. They said that Lee had gone to visit his uncle who lived across town.

"Did you have fun shopping?" Ino asked Neji teasingly, "Why are_ you_ shopping anyway Neji? You don't even like going food shopping."  
"Tenten wanted to get a new outfit for Friday."  
"Ooh~ what are you doing on Friday?"  
"She said you three were going out. So are you?" Ino was surprised as to what Neji had said. But something told her that she should nod and agree.  
"Well yeah, but I didn't know Tenten was going so... uh..." But she would talk to Hinata about this later... or maybe she shouldn't, because it might be a surprise party! Surprise parties were amazing!  
"Right..." Well Neji definitely wasn't buying it, but Tenten was his best friend, she had no reason to lie to him and he had no reason to doubt her. Hinata had said Ino was leaving... the idea that this was possibly came to his head was that it was a surprise. Neji coughed and signalled to Tenten and Hinata that he was bored and ready to go. The two girls followed him down the street and had a whispered conversation.

"We are so lucky Ino went along with it- didn't you tell her?" Tenten hissed.  
"N-no."  
"Well why?" Tenten didn't sound angry but she was definitely annoyed that Hinata wouldn't pass on the message. She'd bought a new outfit for Friday's party. They were on sale- if Hinata didn't want to go with her and Ino she would never get her money back and as a University student she needed all the money she could get.  
"W-well I just- I d-don't want to go... h-he ignored me yesterday. I a-asked him to l-leave it and he j-just d-didn't." Tenten sighed. Stubborn Hyuugas. Boy did she know how to deal with that.  
"So did you talk to him about it today?"  
"H-he wasn't in."  
"Well then maybe you should call him to talk about it..." Hinata agreed this was a good idea and was silent in the walk back home- she wanted to get there as early as possible so she could go out to pick up the iPod from Suigetsu later that night before going out with Ino, Chouji and Shikamaru for dinner at Chouji's family restaurant.

.

Wednesday was a lot easier teasing wise. The taunting had mostly stopped and some things had reappeared back in her locker- a couple pens and a few pieces of 'lost' homework and some accessories where placed inside of her locker. Hinata was pleased that she'd gotten her things back... even if the homeworks were vandalized and the pens were more or less run dry. She walked into Sakura in the hallway at lunch time. They were both wearing green T-shirts- it looked like Sakura had gotten involved with the colour scheme plan.

"Hi S-Sakura."  
"Oh- Hinata hi, didn't see you there." The girl nervously replied.  
"I-is everything o-okay?"  
"Yep! Everything's perfect!"  
"A-are you l-looking foreword t-to half t-term?"  
"As much as I can be... it's like a few days till Ino leaves- but Sasuke's sounds good right?"  
"I-I'm not g-going..."  
"Why not?"  
"I j-just... w-we're n-not talking right now..."  
"So he didn't invite you?"  
"H-he did..." Sakura nodded, this could possibly be her chance to talk to Sasuke... if Hinata wasn't going to the party then she could tell him that the girl wasn't interested at all- and he'd give up on her... right?  
"O-oh... Well erm, I'm going to see Karin. I know what she did was bad but she's my friend so... well."  
"I-it's ok... I'm s-sure you d-didn't know about it." Hinata said with a smile. "A-ah, see y-you around."  
"Yeah... See ya."

.

The next day Chouji suggested yellow. They all had a half day so they were going out to an arcade to see what they could get as a prize with their pooled together tickets. There was still no sign of Sasuke and despite Tenten's better efforts Hinata still hadn't called him. Despite being shyer and quieter than her cousin Hinata was possibly just as stubborn and she was still convincing herself that she knew how to deal with bullying better. A lip-gloss had turned up in her bag with a mirror and some hairclips. At the arcade they had already bought about seventy pre-won tickets themselves. Ino had her sights set on a waffle iron that produced SpongeBob shaped waffles, Chouji seconded that they should try and get it, altogether it was over five thousand tickets... they had two hundred and ten. That was going to be a lot of money wasted on games.

Over a game of air-hockey that left Ino and Hinata neck in neck at three goals each. To win the game you had to score seven and Ino looked like she was about to win.  
"So-uh, did you hear Hinata?"  
"H-hear what?"  
"Well, Deidara asked me at break if I was going to Sasuke's thing. So I was thinking-" The blonde stopped to celebrate her latest goal with a victory dance, "Seeing as we don't have anything planned on Friday night that we could go."  
"Y-you want to go?"  
"Well it'd be fun right? My last Friday- a big party, even if it's for the end of the term I could pretend that it's really for me. Even if Sasuke's too much of a butthead to be that nice." Ino scored again. She was really good at multitasking because Hinata sucked when she was trying to talk and play air-hockey. Ino only needed two more to win, though, either way their group pool of tickets would benefit by about twenty more tickets. "So- do you think you could call up Sasuke and see if we can go? His parties are real selective and stuff."  
"O-okay." the blonde did it again. After scoring one more goal herself Hinata lost to Ino's superior skills at air-hockey. Even though they had won a hundred more tickets each on this game they decided to head to check on the boys who were playing some sort of spin the wheel game. Shikamaru was holding on to a bunch of tickets and yet there were still tickets spurting out of the machine and collecting on the floor.

"WOW! How much have you got?"  
"About two thousand," Shikamaru replied, "It's only 50p a turn and we've spent about three quid. Chouji's good at this."  
"I'll say." Ino said with a laugh, she nudged her friend "You doing this for the waffle maker?" He nodded and pulled down on the lever.

_Looks like you've got a good catch there, eh!_

Hinata jumped, she hadn't noticed that the game talked but then again she hadn't noticed a lot of things in this arcade, like how they were the only teenagers there or how several women were carrying around infants- why would you bring a baby to a dark place with lots of noise? More ringing alarms and Chouji got the highest prize- one thousand tickets! Ino jumped up and down as the tickets continued to roll out of the machine, there was even one of the arcade attendants watching to make sure it was giving out the correct number of tickets. Hinata was spun around by Ino, they were the only ones free to celebrate- Shikamaru was being tangled up with the tickets, he was counting them in his head despite there being machines that did the work for him mere steps away.

They didn't get the waffle maker in the end... they ran out of money at the four thousand ticket mark. They could afford one giant pencil, or hundreds of rubbish consolation prizes which consisted of plastic key chains, whistles, necklaces and many different forms of sugary treats. They opted instead for a prize that the four of them could share... sweets. They spent about £40 on games and bought sweets with the tickets... sweets that they could have bought for cheaper at any random corner shop. Ino and Shikamaru walked at the front of the small group as they headed towards the train station- Shikamaru was taking Ino on a date further up and seeing as they didn't have such a bad sweet tooth as Chouji and Hinata, the two of them wanted to make sure that their efforts... and the sweets... weren't wasted.

"How do you even eat a Rainbow Dust?" Shikamaru asked.  
"Y-you don't k-know?" The answer was an obvious no as Shikamaru's plastic column full of sugary sherbet stuck two centimetres from the opening.  
"Hinata- please demonstrate to Shika." Ino requested. Hinata pulled one of the sherbet sticks out of the plastic bag and squeezed the tip open. "See baby- that's how you open it." Hinata tipped her head back and allowed the sherbet to flow down into her open mouth.  
"If you try to suck on it you stuff it with spit." Chouji explained. "I can't believe a friend of mine didn't know how to eat a Rainbow Dust... I'm so ashamed."  
"Whatever..." Shikamaru muttered. It's not like he exactly spent his childhood days eating sherbet... despite being best friends with Ino and Chouji- he had gone to a school for the 'exceptionally gifted and talented' until he was 15, they didn't support the idea of sweets being readily available to their students and when he left everyone else was a bit too grown up for sweets and moving onto alcohol. Hinata giggled at his reaction, he wasn't used to getting schooled in things by his friends.  
"I-I'm sure i-if you ate them as much a-as we did you'd b-be as good t-too."  
"Thanks Hinata, but I still don't like sweets. Maybe you should give some to Sasuke." he offered. Ino gasped at her boyfriend's lack of Sasuke knowledge.  
"Sasuke doesn't like sweets! If she gave him some it'd be like... it'd be catastrophic for their relationship!"  
"W-we don't have a r-r-relationship!" Hinata protested, the rest of the trip to the train station was spent childishly teasing Hinata over her relationship and stubbornness over her and Sasuke. At the end of the journey Hinata was apologized to in a group hug and also a goodbye to Ino and Shikamaru as they headed down to the underground while Chouji and Hinata got the train home.

.

Tenten was trying on her outfit for the last time until the party. She strutted into Neji and Lee's room.  
"How do I look?" She asked with a twirl.  
"You look most magnificent!" Lee exclaimed. "And full of youthful beauty!" Tenten blushed.  
"Aww you!" She turned to face their more silent friend, "Neji?"  
"It's a bit much for a girls' night isn't it?"  
"No... Well I might meet someone, I want to look good right?"  
"Why would you meet a guy at a girls night- Tenten are you... you know? I mean, that'd explain why you always hang out with us an-"  
"NEJI I'M NOT GAY!" Tenten shouted with a punch that knocked him out cold. How dare he! The most stupid crush in the world how could he- ooh, he was lucky he was knocked out.  
"Ah... Tenten, you must teach me how to defeat him!" Lee said, there was a fire burning in his round eyes and his bushy eyebrows were drawn together with concentration and dedication. Tenten patted her friend on his bowl haircut.  
"All in due time my student." She said. With a revered bow she retreated from the room. Her bunned head popped around the corner, "Hey Lee... Do you want to take Neji down to the bathroom? To make it look like he slipped?"  
"Of course my master!"  
"Thank you best friend!" she exclaimed with imitable enthusiasm (!). Thumbs up and cheesy grin bearing the two friends dragged their unconscious friend to the bathroom.  
"What are you guys doing to Neji?" Hanabi asked them.  
"Dragging him to the bathroom so that when he wakes up he won't be angry at me for knocking him out."  
"Cool- why'd you knock him out?"  
"He asked if I was gay."  
"Well... are you?"  
"Do you want to join your cousin on the floor?"  
"Touchy~"  
"Well, you get told by the guy you like that you could be into the same sex!" Tenten argued. The twelve year old shrugged, Konohamaru had called her far worse things when he was doing that 'tease the girl you like' thing boys her age were involved in- she had to give him a couple black eyes but she never willingly knocked him out.  
"Whatever floats your boat sister."

.

The room was dark, sinfully neat and empty. So where was Sasuke? Itachi closed the door of his younger brother's room behind him, he checked the bathroom but Sasuke wasn't there.

Where the hell was he then? The school had called asking if Sasuke was unwell because he hadn't been in for the week. Friday was tomorrow- meaning the party was tomorrow and Itachi wanted to know how many annoying little kids (and Hinata and friends) would be in his house. It struck five when the front door slammed shut and Sasuke shot up to his room.  
"Where you been buddy?"  
"School."  
"Oh that's funny, they said you haven't been in the past three days and they're worried."  
"Whatever. Just don't tell mum and dad."  
"Fine... on the condition I get to go over your invite list."  
"I don't have one. I invited the guys, Hinata's lot and that's it."  
"That's not really a party..." Itachi stated, "So I took the liberty of getting Deidara to invite a couple people."  
"You know our house is going to be screwed..."  
"Yeah but it's _your_ party, and that'll blow the damage from mine out of the water."  
"I hate you Itachi- get out my room!" Sasuke ordered.  
"Whatever bro." Itachi poked him on the forehead and left. Why did Itachi always have to poke him on the forehead? It didn't even hurt anymore, it just got really annoying- he wasn't six anymore!

The younger Uchiha flopped onto his made bed. Hinata hadn't replied to any of his calls or texts. Not wanting to be snubbed he avoided school and he'd do so until she replied. That'd teach her- he did something good for her, why'd she treat him like that? "I hate women."  
"So does that mean you're into dudes then?" Sai stepped out of the shadows of the room.  
"No. Lemme guess- Sai?"  
"Yeah. I take it Busty hasn't called you back then... So much for warming up to you. Is she even coming tomorrow?"  
"Yes..."  
"Really?"  
"I don't know."  
"I could get someone to drag her here if you want..." Sai suggested... he was a strange boy.  
"Shut up. When did you get here anyway?"  
"Around four. Me and Itachi were going through your stuff when you came in. I come bearing two messages."  
"Lay it on me then. What does Naruto want?"  
"He's wondering if you've gotten the chance to talk to Hinata about him... and that him and Kiba also invited a bunch of people to your house."  
"Fine."  
"One of them is Sakura..."  
"I'm going to kill that idiot."

.

When the day of reckoning came Sasuke actually came into school. He was greeted by all of his friends wearing something orange- for Naruto he wasn't surprised at all, but he was unaware that Sai owned anything not black.  
"Why are you all wearing orange?"  
"For Ino's last day picture. She got the whole year involved." Kiba said. "Naruto is fucking hyper... he got a chance to wear all his orange crap."  
"Sasuke! You ain't wearing anything orange! Dude- take my tie!" a neon orange tie was thrust into Sasuke's face and he took it from his blond friend.  
"I heard you invited Sakura to my party..."  
"Yeah... about that- it's just so I can make a move, I promise she'll stay away from you."  
"Then if she does anything crazy I'm blaming you and you can't come to my house anymore."  
"Whatever you say bro." The loud boy was distracted by Hinata brushing past him, she was so engrossed in her conversation with Chouji that she didn't even notice. "Ah... did you get the chance to-"  
"If she's not talking to me why you do think she'd talk to you?"  
"Because I'm a loveable dude, dude and you're kind of a prick."  
"Yet I'm the prick she kisses."  
"Like you're so special, I got kissed by her and all." Naruto said with a huff, "Peace Sasuke. I'm going to go talk to Hinata."  
"Finally he mans up!" Sai exclaimed, "Maybe you got a pair of balls after all!"  
"SHUT UP!" Naruto stormed after Hinata followed by his dark haired friends taunting laughter.

.

"Hey! Hinata!" someone called from behind me. I turned around to find Naruto running after Chouji and I. He was dressed in fluorescent orange- well... apart from the dark trouser suit he had to wear to stick to the school's uniform policy.  
"A-ah h-hi..." I haven't talked to him for so long... What would we talk about? Everything would be really awkward- I bet he's even seen the pictures that Karin had sent around... This is embarrassing!  
"I'll leave you two to talk..." Chouji said. No! Chouji don't leave me... but he left... so now it was just me and Naruto standing awkwardly opposite each other while he caught his breath.  
"So-ah... you okay? We haven't talked in a while?" he finally said.  
"Y-yeah... we've b-both been busy... a-are you... y-you know?"  
"Yep." Naruto started walked beside me in silence, "You going to Sasuke's tonight?"  
"I g-guess... I-Ino really w-wants to go."  
"You should go- I mean, I'll be there, Sasuke'll be there, Sakura'll be there. It'd be awesome if you came. But... does Sasuke know you're going?"  
"N-no..."  
"Well why not?"  
"I-I've sort of... been i-ignoring him."  
"Why?"  
"I-I don't kn- I g-guess because I w-wanted him to feel h-how I felt."  
"But he did good- didn't your bullying stop?" Naruto had a point there... since Karin got punished less and less bad things had been happening to me.  
"Y-yes..."  
"So just go talk to him! When Sakura's mad at me I still go and talk to her, like... to make her not-mad at me." This happens every time he talks to me... He always trails off onto the subject of Sakura. She's a nice person... but I still feel like she's trying to interrupt my relations with Naruto or Sasuke... With Sasuke she won't let me near him and she's the reason I'm distanced from Naruto so much...  
"Why do you even like her?" I whispered, "W-what was wrong with me?" No I didn't just ask him that did I? Oh god.. Oh god I'm going to faint.

.

Hinata had managed to say 'I'm sorry' before she fainted... I really thought she was over the fainting thing around me... but I guess not. Everyone else was on their way so I took her to the nurse's room. The nurse is a really nice lady- she's been looking after me since I was in year seven- she says I remind her of her little brother.  
"Sup Granny?" She sighed over her paperwork, for a nurse she sure has a lot of paperwork to fill out.  
"Naruto I told you not to call me that in school, here I am Nurse Tsunade. What did you do now?" She finally looked up and saw Hinata in my arms then sighed again.  
"I thought she got over that? I heard she was going out with that Uchiha boy..." She beckoned me to one of the hospital cot-things... theres like five of them in the office and Hinata used to faint so much that Tsunade customised one for her... I put our bags at the foot of the cot... for a girl who only carries one notepad a pencil case and her journal to every lesson... Hinata's bag is _really_ heavy. Maybe it's a girl thing, I dunno.  
"Yeah... so uh Granny-"  
"Nurse Tsunade." She corrected...  
"What is it with girls?"  
"Define... there are a lot of things 'with' girls Naruto." She helped me get Hinata onto the hospital cot and checked her medical folder. "Wow... five weeks since the last faint... that's her record."  
"Granny come on help me here! First she likes me then she ignores me for a month, and then she faints." I rubbed my head, "It's confusing."  
"You actually found out she liked you? Did she tell you?"  
"No... Sasuke told me..."  
"And then?"  
"I told her I didn't like her that way, she was totally cool about it... after stuff happened."  
"'stuff'?"  
"Well there was crying and yeah... and then she ignored me for ages."  
"Well you were the one who rejected her. Can't blame her for being mad."  
"This isn't helping Granny."  
"Well then don't ask for advice. The female mind is far less complicated that you guys think it is." So Granny finally stopped correcting me that meant she'd be more helpful... hopefully. "Why didn't you go out with her anyway?"  
"Well I like Sakura don't I?"  
"That annoying pink haired girl? She's the reason you're always in here isn't she?"  
"... her and Sasuke... but that's beside the point!"  
"Are you going out with her?"  
"No but-"  
"And she still likes Sasuke... come on Naruto she's got the same tunnel vision you have."  
"Sakura's not like that!"  
"Anyway, even if she _is_ over Sasuke... she'll be more focused on her education than you. She's taking the Biology A-level this year." She stopped scribbling on an accident sheet and walked up to the door. "Stay with Hinata while I go file this, she might wake up soon okay Naruto?"  
"Sure." Granny left me... it was just me and Hinata... alone... and it was going to be a lot quieter- people just don't go talking to unconscious people... it's weird right? Talking to unconscious people... like I've only seen it in movies and those _really_ sappy chick novels that my Godfather reads for 'inspiration' for his weirdo pervert books. One time he made me watch a film called 'While You Were Sleeping' with him, some girl was obsessed with this stranger and pretended to be his fiancé when he slipped into a coma. When he got up- awkward! Why did Hinata even faint anyway? There wasn't any reason to... like, it was an understandable question right? Why do I like Sakura? She never paid me much attention... she beat me up on a daily basis and Hinata was willing at the time to fill the gap Sakura constantly refused... And now I've gone and lost her to Sasuke. "You asked me why I like Sakura so much right... It's kinda stupid me talking to you like this, you probably can't even hear me..." God this is weird. I feel crazy. "But... there's just _something_ about her. _Something_ that makes me want to be around her 24/7. I'm like the bee and she's like the flower or something. She's so bright I _have_ to be there and I-uh, I know that's how Sasuke feels about you so-"  
"Naruto, is she awake?" What! When did Granny sneak in- oh God this is embarrassing. "Uh..."  
"Okay, I'll leave you to finish your little speech but you might want to tell her that when she's _awake._ I'm just saying." Trust her to tease me over this stuff, like it wasn't embarrassing enough. I bet she's going to tell her assistant and her micro pig and stupid Jiriya about this... She might sell it to pay off her gambling debts- Crap _he_ might use it in one of his books! I could hear her giggling out of the door.  
"I'm not saying you're not the brightest flower out there... but people have favourites, I mean you are amazing. You're cute _and_ you're hot and-uh... Sasuke'll appreciate that better than I could, like, I'd always be chasing after Sakura and- that ain't right. So uh... forgive me?"  
"O-okay..." Gah! Hinata when did she wake up... how much did she hear? "Hi... When did- how did? Huh~"  
"W-well I w-was listening... S-sometimes I f-feel really sleepy after I faint s-so I just... yeah..." she trailed off looking really embarrassed, I should be the embarrassed one! I just spent the last five minutes kind of pouring out my most poetic thoughts ever and she was awake the whole time? "D-do you r-really think Sasuke feels _that_ way? A-about me, I mean... i-it was just so, it was b-beautiful."  
"Yeah but if I told Sakura that she'd probably knock me out."  
"M-maybe i-if you told her what you t-told me..."  
"So, does this mean we're friends again?"  
"Y-yes?" Alright! There was major hugging going on.  
"I missed you loads Hina!" I might have said that a bit too loud because I felt her wince. "Sorry. Okay, I'll go to lessons now. See you at Sasuke's!" I walked out and after she waved Hinata tried getting comfortable in the cot again. Granny was giggling outside and patted me on the head.

"You did good kid." she said. "I was wondering when you might figure out she was awake though..."  
"You knew she was awake?"  
"Well yeah... she moved around before I left, I even hinted to you that she was."  
"You're the worst hint-giver ever. Which is weird because you suck at gambling too."  
"Move along Naruto you have classes and I have a patient."  
"I'm goin', I'm goin' already."

.

Naruto walked into his last class of the day with a smile on his face. He had the whole spring in his step that you hear about all the time when people are trying to explain just _how_ much bliss the person is experiencing at the time.  
"I was in the medic room." He told the teacher, "My bad." After collecting the instructional sheets they needed for the experiment Naruto pulled on his lab coat and sat at the stool opposite Sasuke.  
"Why were you in the nurse s office? Hinata finally punch you?"  
"No. She fainted actually... and then we had a talk."  
"Well I'm glad it went all fine and dandy for you." Sasuke muttered as he poured the Hydrogen Peroxide into the cylinder. "The party's off by the way."  
"What? Why? Dude I invited _bare_ people, how can I just tell them it's off?"  
"Hinata's not coming... so there's no point right. She's not talking to me... she's not replying to my texts. It's annoying."  
"But she is coming." Naruto insisted. "I asked her and she said that she was... Dude, I promise."  
"Well when I see her we can confirm that can't we?"  
"Sasuke I _promise_ you she's going. I'm not just doing this for the party ok."  
"I already said Naruto. When I see her, it'll be confirmed."  
"And then the parties back on?"  
"Yeah sure... whatever." Sasuke poured a concoction down the sink, it looked like orange puke, and Naruto actively grimaced. "Aren't you going to start on your experiment?"  
"Hell no. I'm just gonna copy you." When Sasuke shot him a glare Naruto retreated slightly. "You'll let me copy it right?"  
"Sure. But you're helping me, I'm not letting you just copy my notes and not do shit." That was a fair demand.  
"Kay... so what do you want me to do?"  
"Go get 5 grams of that vomit looking stuff, put it in these little white things." Sasuke handed off five tiny containers, "5 grams _each_. And another hundred centimetre cubes of the Hydrogen Peroxide."  
"Whatever you say boss." Naruto joked with a salute as he headed to the other end of the room where all the measuring equipment was.

.

Tsunade is really the best nurse our school could get. She always lets me stay for the rest of the lesson after I faint- I don't like missing class but I really hate walking in late with everyone staring at me wondering why I was late... She spent our time really quietly humming to herself.  
"So I heard you kissed Naruto." I blushed, I should have thought they'd have talked about it.  
"Y-ye- I did... I-ah I wanted t-to know what i-it was like... before..."  
"I think that's a great idea. No use spending time wondering what it'd be like."  
"Y-yeah..."  
"So... Sasuke?" Tsunade exclaimed, "I really didn't know he liked girls... I seriously thought he was... because all of his friends you girls think are 'hot' right?" I think a lot of people thought Sasuke was gay... he never showed any interest in girls and it was true- all of his friends were extremely good looking. It didn't help that he held Itachi's group of friends in contempt because... well, it was rumoured that they are all serious womanizers and always picking off the 'weaker' Itachi fan girls for themselves.  
"Y-yeah... I-it was a shock t-to me too. B-but I guess you k-knew that."  
"Well I was the one who suggested you be sent home." Tsunade said with a smile. "I heard what Naruto said as well you know. He's got the mind of a poet that kid."  
"S-Sakura's really l-lucky... t-that he can say s-such nice things."  
"Sasuke doesn't say nice things?"  
"S-sort of... but it's really awkward- a-and we've r-really only j-just kissed and w-watched movies... one time we w- he took me to lunch and it was nice..."  
"But there wasn't a lot of talking?" I nodded. Tsunade smiled at me "Don't worry about that. The two of are quiet, and Sasuke probably doesn't know how to tell you things he wants to." The bell rang and she ruffled my hair, "You'll be fine. Just take it slow alright?"  
"O-okay. I-I'll go to class now."  
"Bye Hinata. Don't faint again today, you beat your last record of 6 consecutive days without fainting."  
"I-I'll try."

.

The hallway was full of other students, it was lunch time so a lot of people would be going out to town for lunch or going to the cafeteria. I saw Sakura go into an empty classroom and I saw Naruto following her, maybe he was going to tell her the way he felt. Sasuke's hair was just visible over the heads of our peers... It's really not that advantageous being a short person in a crowd.  
"S-Sasuke?" I didn't expect him to turn around so quickly... I was really quiet in the din around us. "H-hi..."  
"You've been ignoring me." He said, he didn't even ask why.  
"S-sorry. I- it- I was being s-silly..."  
"Yeah you were. Naruto said you were coming tonight. I wasn't sure if he was just saying that so I'd throw the party."  
"I-I thought that y-you..."  
"I told the guys if you weren't going there wasn't going to be one."  
"B-but I am..."  
"You didn't reply and I assumed you weren't..." He pulled me out of the way of a storming Naruto. "Looks like shit's gone down. But you're coming to mine tonight?"  
"Y-yes..."  
"Alright. Let's go to lunch. I'll buy." he offered. I wanted to go... but Ino's year photo was scheduled for lunch. "But you want to go hang with Ino don't you?" I nodded, I guess he was already starting to notice the pattern. He smirked, "Come on then." He was definitely grinning when I let him put his arm around my shoulders...  
"M-maybe we could g-go out tomorrow?"  
"Just us?"  
"Mhmm."  
"I'll check the cinema times then."  
"A-actually... I t-thought... maybe we could just hang out?"  
"Well it's definitely cheaper..." he agreed. When we turned the corner I could hear Ino's 'squee'. Seconds later we were blinded by a camera flash.

"I'm sorry Hina, but you guys looked so cute!" she said. "Alright, now all we need is Sakura and then we can take the picture right." I looked for Naruto, he was probably going to save a spot for his crush in the front row of the picture. We were taking it on the hill... so that everyone could get in and there'd be levels. Naruto was sat in the middle behind Chouji and between Kiba and Sai. I shot him a smile as Sasuke sat down with me and Ino at the front. When Sakura finally crept out of the school building she was ushered over. Ino got one of the older students to take pictures on multiple cameras... Today, today I'd put all of the photos on Ino's gift and give it to her.

.

Karin called me right at the end of class. I hate it when she calls me in school. No one really wants to be associated with her right now... I'm no exception. Everyone I hung out with thought that what she did was beyond the regular teasing that we all gave Hinata... and my other friends, they wanted Karin 'dead... or at least in a lot of pain' as quoted by Ino. I got to the closest available empty room before I picked it up.

"What?" Karin mumbled something I couldn't hear, I put her on loudspeaker. "Hello? Karin."  
_I heard Sasuke's throwing a party tonight._  
"Yeah-"  
_So no doubt that dunce blond asked you to go with him. Get me in._  
"Karin I don't think that's such a great idea..."  
_Just play nice with him, he's so head over heels he won't even suspect anything. Say you want to bring a _friend.  
"Ok... but what if Sasuke finds out Karin."  
_We'll cross that bridge when we get to it... Wait- is that annoying Hyuuga going?_  
"I don't think she is."  
_Great. Then it'll be operation seduce Sasuke. But for you it's going to be operation fool idiot first_.  
"Karin don't call him that..."  
_Well he is one. I'm not even sure how an underachiever like him is still in our school- besides. You're the one always going on about how 'Naruto's so annoying I wish he would just drop dead' or how 'Naruto keeps getting between me and Sasuke' or-_  
"I get it Karin... I'll talk to my idiot of a crusher and get you invited."  
_Great! I'll see you later bitch. Oh and you got my message from Juugo right? If Sasuke goes after me tonight... I'm telling him you paid for the viral. _I sat down on the desk, always an agenda... sometimes... sometimes I wonder why I'm 'friends' with girls like this. We're always using each other or withholding information to get our way... I felt like I was in mean girls... only... I _was _one of the mean girls.  
"Yeah I got it... bye."

Karin hung up on me. I closed my phone and checked the time... Ino would be waiting for everyone to take those last-day pictures of the year. I looked down at my orange blouse... it was hideous on me, I saw Hinata wearing it this morning... she pulled it off better than me. She was even talking to Naruto again- which is good for me, because then she'll leave Sasuke alone and go on liking him. A chair behind me screeched, I turned around hoping it was someone who was completely ignorant to what happened this week.

"Sakura..."  
"Naruto? H-how much did you hear?"  
"I heard enough."  
"Don't tell anyone please. Naruto I'm begging you!"  
"Why would you do that to Hinata? I mean, I thought you two were _friends_ but I was obviously wrong!"  
"It's not like that... It's not."  
"So because you didn't send the pictures yourself it's okay? Hinata was ignoring Sasuke for the Monday morning because she thought _he_ had something to do with it. He hasn't come in school- I was here to tell you that the party was off if she wasn't coming: he _really_ likes her Sakura." Naruto shook me... Naruto'd never been angry at me before, this was so strange. "I've really got half the mind to tell him. I mean- I can deal with you treating me the way you do... but Hinata doesn't deserve that!"  
"Naruto... stop you're scaring me."  
"Like Hinata wasn't scared when guys were trying to corner her left, right and centre?"  
"She..."  
"And you know today she actually forgave me for the way I treated her? For the way _I_ rejected her because I'm hung up on you. She even helped me realise something that I could say to you, that might've made you rethink stuff and give me a chance." All the while he was yelling in my face he pushed me onto the table behind. "I was going to say... how you were like the brightest, most beautiful flower that had sprung up and attracted me like a bee. Now I see that you're really a Venus fly trap and I'm the poor fly, you're going to attract me then trap me." I was speechless. "You're just like those other girls who chase after Sasuke. You all want him for yourselves, you don't want him to be happy with anyone else... You know what? If the party's on tonight you're uninvited."  
"Naruto you can't do this to me- I have everything resting on this night!"  
"It's always about you isn't it?" He sneered at me... I didn't know Naruto could even make that sort of negative face... "Look. I can't even talk to you right now. I'm out... Oh- and if I see you tonight you better be there to apologize to Hinata or I'm helping Sasuke kick your ass out."

.

_**A/N: Okay, here is where I originally wanted to end the chapter. Getting a little tense isn't it? Anyway, I thought after a while that it would be a little harsh to just leave you to wait another week just for another party scene that wouldn't take me long at all to write... So when this was waiting in the documents tab I added this next bit to it. Consider it as a gift due to school starting next week I may not be able to upload as wonderously regularly as I have been. Sorry for interrupting the story flow and enjoy the rest of the chapter.**_

.

When Hinata came home from school Tenten was soaking in the bath tub... she really wanted to feel and look fabulous for this party, even if the one boy she really wanted to notice her was oblivious behind a mask of 'friendishness'. She immerged a half hour later in Hinata's room asking to borrow the hair dryer.  
"N-Neji has it." Tenten sighed... trust Neji with his girly hair to have use for the hairdryer... one day... she'd cut it all off in a bowl haircut like Lee's and then she would be the only one who needed the hairdryer.  
"Thanks. So Hinata, do you know what you're wearing for tonight?" The Hyuuga girl shook her head, she'd only confirmed her participation in the party a few hours ago.  
"M-maybe a dress o-or something." Hinata pulled out a denim dungaree style dress and a Tshirt. "W-what are you wearing? Neji said you b-bought a new outfit."  
"Yup, Jeggings and a corset top..."  
"C-corset?"  
"Yeah... and I've been breaking in a new pair of shoes all week as well." Tenten leant on the doorframe, "I'll see you later, I'm going to get the hairdryer off of Neji."

.

"So someone tells me you have the hairdryer." Tenten said from the doorway. She was in underwear and my T-shirt and her hair was dripping onto the back of it... I just hope she didn't put anything in her hair that might stain.  
"Yeah." She played with a strand of loose wet hair.  
"How do you get your hair so fluffy and soft?" she asked... "Mine sucks." She's always after hairstyling tips.  
"I'm blessed."  
"_Lucky_." she flounced up to where I had lain happily for the past half hour reading a book... seeing as she wouldn't get out of the freaking bathroom to 'perkilate her beauty'. "Neji... will you do my hair?"  
"No. I'm not willing to fill some sort of gay-hairdressing role for you."  
"You don't have to be gay to be a guy hairdresser... Besides, I just want your hair- for one night. You know my hair's awful to handle- that's why I just put it in buns..." she whined. _"Puh-leez_ Neji? Unless I am drunk I will never ask anything of you again." I sighed.  
"Fine, go sit on that chair." I took out the hairdryer and straighteners out of the chest of drawers in the room. "Have you put any lotion in this?"  
"Well... no, just the whole shampoo/condition routine."  
"Your hair will dry out..." I got the bottle of hair lotion and squeezed out a large ammount, and massaged it into her hair, starting from the tips and working up. My mother was a hairdresser before she finished her bussiness degree... now she doesn't work on the hair herself... she owns a small franchise. "I hate the mistreatment of hair..."  
"Well I'm _sorry_ that the caretakers didn't teach me correct 'hair treatment' son-of-a-hairdresser. I guess they were too busy with the many other children at the boarding house." Great, now she was offended. Everytime I bring up something remotely related to my family's advice she'd blow it up a lot bigger than it really was... Tenten had been passed from foster home to foster home since the couple that had originally adopted her died when she was 3. It had been a closed adoption... her birthmother didn't want to keep in touch so Tenten was left on her own... everyone at the time wanted to adopt _babies_ no one wanted a kid who already had called someone else 'mama'.  
"Ten, I didn't mean it like that."  
"I know..." she sighed. "But you've really been annoying lately."  
"No I haven't!" I defended.  
"Neji you said you thought I was gay!"  
"So I was wrong... no big deal."  
"It _is_ a big deal." she huffed. "I don't see why we have to put in moisturiser anyway... it's stupid."  
"It stops your hair drying out completely when I use the hairdryer." Tenten stayed silent as I tied her hair into seperate sections. The hairdryer filled the room with it's noise for half an hour, by then Tenten's hair was curling around her shoulders and tickling her cheeks. She looked great with curled hair... "Are you sure you want me to straighten it?"  
"Yeah. But maybe I should change first- I don't want to mess it up."

As she left our room for Hanabi's I could see that the water on my T-shirt had completely dried with her hair; there was a stain, she could keep the T-shirt. While I waited for her I turned on the straighteners... Why was I doing her hair? I'm pretty damned sure that Hinata or Hanabi could do it for her. I spun around in the chair, Lee was downstairs working out in the garden... Hanabi was probably taunting him or... sitting on his back as he did push-ups.

I could hear the clicking of heels and there she was.  
"What are you wearing?" She sighed.  
"Neji, Neji, Neji... I've shown you and Lee this outfit numerous times."  
"Yes but..."  
"Just do my hair please?" she pleaded, "Once Hinata's ready we're picking up Ino." As the granite slates slid through her hair Tenten explained to me that Lee let her have his car for the night. "I'm gonna keep the keys in my bra... like... just incase my bag gets stolen or anything." The last curl was gone... Tenten's hair looked so different when it ran straight down her back. With this outfit and hair... she didn't look like the tomboy I roomed with on campus.

.

Moments after tweeking what remained of her closet Ino found the 'perfect' outfit for the party, a simple floral dress that was given a layered effect by two short fluffy tutu-like skirts underneath. She twirled around in her white platform heels. Her long ponytail was curled and gave her a halo-effect. Her eyeliner was brown because she wanted to look natural-and fierce- and put some dark foundation on her cheeks with a lighter shade of powder over it, he cheeks looked so rosy. On her lips there was a bright shade of pink, focusing on one feature was always the best according to all the female make-up advice columns in every magazine she had ever read. Her phone vibrated on her bed, it was next to the purple iPod that she'd been gifted by her group of friends. That was so cute of them!

"Hello!"  
_I-Ino me and Tenten are o-outside._  
"Okay I'll be down in a second."  
_O-okay._

After putting her lipstick, house keys and phone in a small white handbag Ino took a final twirl in front of the full lenght mirror in the hallway, yes, she looked good- more than good- she looked great! Her dad had gone out to dinner with some work collegues so she just left him a note saying she'd be staying over Hinata's house... meaning she was staying with Shikamaru when the time came for them to leave the party, and so he shouldn't wait up to collect her from the Uchiha's house. In her drive there was a small olive green car, Tenten was in the driving seat and Hinata was in the passenger side, the two of them waved through the windscreen.  
"Hey guys! Are we ready to party?" she cheered. Tenten responded enthusiastically whereas Hinata just nodded shyly. Hinata had gotten out of the car so that Ino could get in to the back seat and Ino decided that Hinata didn't need her fashion advice anymore. The years had finally paid off and Hinata was wearing a dungaree-style denim dress with a printed T-shirt and she looked really cute. She was even wearing some tan zip-up worker boots that had become all the rage recently. "Looking fabulous Hina." Ino sang as she took her seat.  
"Hey Ino, you're going to need to give me directions here."  
"Do you know where Shikamaru lives?"  
"Sort of... we picked Hinata up from there one time."  
"Well... just go there and we can use their driveway, Sasuke's house is around the corner."

.

Ino, Hinata and this next chick- Tenten came to my house at nine thirty. Chouji and I were waiting around in the front room watching some show- I really couldn't be bothered to watch it and despite the fact that I had the remote in my arms- changing the channel itself was annoying enough.  
"That'd be them then." Chouji said before he went to answer the door. I got up and dusted myself off... No doubt Ino was going to look like her angel self... I am going to miss her a lot more than I let her know...  
"Shika!" she squealed. I smiled, I was going to miss her squeaking too... "Let's go let's go! we have a party to par-tay at." She dragged me outside where Hinata and Tenten were waiting for us with Chouji. He'd already gotten the two girls on each of his arms.

Sasuke's house... looked trashed, the verbal invite's instruction was to come at eight. An hour and a half later, the house was trashed... I'd hate to see what it looked like at the end of the night. Thank God it wasn't my house. Tenten and Ino had gotten overly excited and started walking faster in their abnormally high heels dragging Hinata with them... How have they not tripped in them? I seriously don't see how girls can walk in those things... let alone dance. Hinata was the smart one wearing boots to the party, sure she'd look a lot shorter than the other girls but at least she wouldn't have to do that trampy thing were for some reason they take their shoes off after the pain is 'too much'. Thankfully... Ino knew her heel limits... and she'd normally avoid standing for too long... just in case.  
"Looks like this is it bro."  
"Yup."  
"You know Ino's going to have you carry her home right?"  
"Yup."  
"She's going to be be on you like stink on a warthog."  
"I've heard that somewhere before..."  
"Yeah. I think it's in the Lion King 2." I stared at Chouji, he shrugged.  
"I watched it last night, so sue me."  
"You... are troublesome."  
"Shu'up you lazy bastard." he yelled before joining the girls halfway up the pathway for Sasuke's. No doubt I wouldn't be allowed to smoke in the guy's house... so I opened a pack. I really needed a smoke right now...

.

I really shouldn't have bothered with the cigarette outside, if someone wasn't drinking, kissing, throwing up or dancing... they were smoking. Ino was on the dancefloor- as usual. Hinata was nowhere to be found... she was probably somewhere quiet with Sasuke... it's kind of annoying the way she treats him. She's hot for him then she's not. It's seriously weird. She's probably still hurt from Naruto and doesn't want to 'rush into anything'. That's always the excuse... yet she leads him on an awful lot... she probably doesn't even know she's doing it. But hell I wish she'd just go out with him so Ino can stop making these elaborate matchmaking plans. I grabbed an unopened beer from the kitchen counter- whoever bought it with them (strictly a BYOB party)... wasn't going to miss it. Walking outside I found Chouji and Tenten... looked like Tenten was in the middle of a shot-based drinking game with... I think it was Kiba. she looked like she was winning too and Chouji was cheering her on as the guys on Kiba's side looked on in amazement as she downed shot after shot in quick sucession. Kiba leant to the left and eventually fell off of his chair sideways grabbing his stomach, the dog that followed after him everywhere whimpered and yapped at his side. Chouji and Tenten high-fived; Tenten looked like she was shattered already... well... rather her than me. Naruto was looking at Kiba in disbelief- he had lost... to a girl!  
"Oh my God who are you?"  
"Me~? Who am I? I'm Tenten, bitches! Who's next?" The next challenger approached the table. Never seen this guy at school before- blue hair, creepy eyes. He was probably one of Sasuke's older brother's friends.  
"Kiba was my runner-up drinking pal. You got a strong liver."  
"It's a trooper." she said nodding.  
"Kisame... and uh- prepare to lose."  
"I think _you_ oughta prepare _your_self." she retorted... Well I wasn't going to stay around for that... time to find Ino again.

This time she was sitting on Hinata's lap with her legs balanced on the armrest of the sofa.  
"Ino, are you already smashed?"  
"No baby- I'm pooped! But Hinata's been a lovely seat." she kissed Hinata on the cheek and it left a lipstick stain on her cheek- not that you could see it, it matched the shade of her blush exactly. Ino got up and leant on me... "Can I have some?" she asked eyeing my stolen beer.  
"Go for it." She took it from me... I wasn't going to get that back, "Hinata you want anything?" I asked, hell, if I was giving Ino a drink I might as well give one to Hinata. Ino sushed me.  
"You can't do that. _Sasuke_'s gone off to get her a drink." There he came drink in hand- looked like regular orange juice.  
"Uchiha."  
"Nara." he handed the drink to Hinata, "You sure you don't want anything a little more... ?" Hinata shook her head softly. Sasuke shot me and Ino a look that said 'Leave now', Ino didn't get it and stood opposite the couple blankly before I ushered her onto the dancefloor.

"I thought you didn't like dancing?"  
"I like anything involving you."  
"You are _too_ cute." And then the dancefloor became a make-out floor. Where was a freaking wall when you needed one? I was expecting crude shouts of 'get a room!' but it seemed like everyone else could really care less what we were doing on the dancefloor. Eventually we got to another location- the kitchen. The guy who was drinking with Tenten earlier in the garden was there mixing drinks.  
"Oooh Kisame meet my boyfriend!" The guy with the blue hair smiled at us. He looked creepier up close but Ino didn't seem to mind it.  
"Did you outdrink Tenten then?" I asked. He looked away.  
"It was a draw..."  
"So she won then." I said- he'd joined her moments after she beat Kiba, she definately beat him if he called it a 'draw'.  
"Whatever -"  
"His name's Shikamaru~!" Ino sang. "So what marvelous drink are you making now?"  
"Rum punch."  
"Great! I love that stuff," I was handed back my practically empty can of beer, "Baby you _have_ to try this." Kisame grinned. Hinata walked in with Tenten.  
"Hey- it's the alcohol virgin." Kisame grinned wider, "Did you like my punch last time?"  
"I-it was n-nice..." Hinata stuttered. I didn't even knew she drank. Seconds later he thrust a red cup in her face, it was filled to the point of over flowing with the peachy looking liquid.  
"It's on the house." Kisame turned to Tenten, "Drinking buddy."  
"Drinking _champion,_ dear." she corrected. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I think I hear my jam." She stole a cup of Kisame's punch before leading a blond boy onto the dancefloor.  
"Looks like Tenten's pulled." Ino commented, when they reached the dancefloor Tenten and her guy looked like they were dry humping, the both of them with drinks in their hands. We got a good look at the boys face... No way could that be. "Is that Naruto?" Ino asked me. It sure as hell looked like him. Hinata giggled, what she wasn't jealous or anything?  
"Hinata... are you okay?" I asked... she nodded.  
"I-ah... I wonder w-where Sakura is..."  
"Oh, forehead couldn't make it- said something about family mini-crisis." Ino answered. She offered me her drink and I took it... it was definately a lot better tasting than I thought it would be.

.

The hours passed and Sasuke's house got messier and messier. I was _so _glad I wasn't Naruto or Kiba, I knew Sasuke would make them stay and clean seeing as they invited the entire year. I was tipsy... and surprisingly the least drunk of our friends, Tenten at the moment was lying on the couch with Hinata's lap as her pillow, Hinata was leaning on Sasuke who was perched on the armrest and the three of them appeared to be having a quiet conversation... well... Hinata and Sasuke were, and Tenten was butting in every now and then. Chouji had found a girl to talk to and they were standing outside she was an older girl... Chouji seemed to just _attract_ cougars. I personally think its the cheeks, they're chubby like a baby's. The party was thinning out... not wanting to be one of the few people stuck overnight cleaning I rounded up our small group.  
"If we go now, we can avoid cleaning."  
"B-but! They need-" Hinata hiccuped, "T-they need help!"  
"They can handle themselves, come on, back to mine alright?"  
"Okay~." Ino and Hinata whined... wait- whining? Hinata? Alcohol must really change her behviour.

.

"Sasuke... I-We're leaving now." The dark haired girl hugged her potential boyfriend from the side "T-thanks for the p-party." She could see her friends already walking off towards the exit. Tenten was saying goodbye to Naruto who had been her constant companion that night, even in her heels he towered above the brunette.  
"And there was me thinking you'd spend the night."  
"W-we're hanging out tomorrow... d-don't forget mmkay?" She stroked his cheeks- he really needed to shave, the stubble that was growing on his face felt like sand under her fingers.  
"I won't forget." He reassured her. "Shouldn't you go tear your guardian from Naruto?"  
"S-she's having so much f-fun." Hinata giggled, "I-I can't do that." Sasuke walked her to the hallway and finally let go of her waist. "Bye."  
"Bye." Hinata stood on her tiptoes to kiss Sasuke on the cheek before she joined the walking bus outside. Tenten and Naruto didn't look like they were going to seperate anytime soon.  
"Oi. Idiot. Get over here!" He pulled Naruto back from the brunette girl by the collar and the girl calmly walked away with a cheeky wink addressed to the blond.  
"She is _hot_."  
"I thought you're heads over for that banshee Sakura."  
"I was..."  
"Well that's funny, you were still into her this morning."  
"Things changed." Naruto growled. Sasuke didn't delve any further, he had to go find Kiba and make sure the dog boy hadn't spilt.

.

Ino and Shikamaru had said goodnight and vanished inside his house. Tenten, Chouji and Hinata were in the car... Tenten was having a stare-down with the keys.  
"I can't drive right now..." She was a bit to intoxicated. She fished through her purse for her phone.

"Nejiii~"  
_Tenten why are you calling me so late? I'm tryna sleep._  
"Neji~ I can't drive. I'm too, _too_ drunk." On the other side of the line Neji facepalmed. He should have gone as well.  
_Where are you?_  
"A-at... Hinata where are we?" Tenten passed the phone to Hinata who slurred out the address before passing on the phone- Neji didn't need to know she had been drinking. Then again- it was only the fruit punch- not shots like Tenten and Chouji had been doing.  
_Okay, I'll be there in five minutes._  
"You are a wonderful creature Neji Hyuuga. I shall dance at your wedding."  
_Has Hinata been drinking? She sounded_-  
"She only had fruit juices okay~ I'll see you soon!" Tenten hung up and the trio waited for their sober saviour to drive them home.

.

Neji had gotten there in ten minutes, out of breath and in a tracksuit. Tenten had gotten onto the passengers seat with little effort and her head was propped up on the cool glass window. He didn't talk- none of the trio looked like they were willing to talk to anyone, no doubt their heads were still pounding from the loud music he could hear from around the corner.

They dropped off Chouji first, Hinata fell asleep in the backseat when he had left for his own home. Tenten woke her up when they reached the driveway.  
"We have to be really quiet." Neji instructed, "Everyone else is still asleep." Hinata understood and was able to behave like a ghost, silently slipping into her room which was adjacent to her parents. However Tenten was not so gifted in the sneaking in department, her heels clacked against the hardwood flooring and when she took them off at the bottom of the stairs, the blood rushing back into her feet left a sensation that she was sure she couldn't walk on.  
"I'm _never_ wearing heels again." she swore as Neji smirked at her. He was enjoying her pain. When the feeling of numbness had left her feet she tried walking up the stairs but her feet were far too heavy with sleep and drink still affecting her. Neji helped her up the stairs as she was just taking far too long and he wanted to get to sleep as soon as possible. They walked- Neji walked... Tenten stumbled- towards their respective rooms. "Neji..." Tenten whispered, "If I go in there I'm going to wake Hanabi... and Lee's a heavy sleeper."  
"Whatever, as long as I can sleep Tenten." he said in a huff. He was annoyed that she had made her own little loophole in her 'promise' never to ask him for anything again. Tenten normally only accepted help from him when she was drunk. They stepped around the second bed that Lee was fast asleep and snoring on and reached Neji's temporary bed- he handed her his tracksuit hoodie. Tenten began peeling off her jeggings when Neji assumed a comfortable sleeping position she pulled on the sleeves of the hoodie before unlacing the corset. When all her confining clothes were on the floor she melted into Neji's pose. "Are you even wearing underwear?" His hand had brushed bare skin below the belt line and he hissed in surprise jerking his hand away from the area.  
"It's a thong... you can't wear any other underwear unless you want VPL." Tenten moaned into his pillow. She turned over. "Why were you touching my butt anyway?"  
"I wasn't." Neji replied. He could see that Tenten hadn't even zipped up the hoodie properly. He could basically see her bellybutton and above "Are those lovebites?" Tenten looked at her chest.  
"Where? Stupid Naruto. I told him no evidence."  
"Evidence?" Neji was getting angry... and slightly jealous. "Of what?"  
"We just had a little drunken heavy petting s'all." Tenten placed a cold hand on his chest. "No prollem." The brunnette girl yawned and shut her chocolate eyes. "G'night Neji. I love you." she kissed him square on the lips. "Sleepy-times now." Neji was too shocked to even process about what just happened, and Tenten was obviously too drunk to go over what just occcured between them, she grabbed hold onto his left arm and rolled onto her other side.

Was that... just... a confession?

* * *

Hmm... I actually have nothing interesting to say at the end of this chapter... Well, I hope drunk Tenten wasn't too OOC... but I take it that she can handle her luqiour- I now have something interesting to say- you know how everyone in Naruto seems to have a shite childhood in order to be a main character? Well... I'm having fun with Tenten's background as we don't actually know anything about her (some speculate that Team Gai is to represent chinese people because Lee's similarity to Bruce Lee and also because of Tenten's clothes, japanese voice actor's high pitch and the repitition in her name... I used to read a _lot_ into Naruto characters if you haven't already guessed). Anyway... everyone else appears to have a really good life- the Uchiha's aren't dead and Hinata's dad isn't a total dick when it comes to her 'strength' and I didn't even kill off Hizashi. Being and AU writer rules! As always, constructive criticism.


	13. Chapter 13

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Chapter 13. Chapters are either going to be longer and less frequent or shorter and same weekly update. Blame school... I do... hehehe. Methinks this story will be more than the 15 chapters either way. Readers choice. Thanks to all reviewers. There will be a huge change in personality of one character, at the bottom I shall explain more. There's also some childhood drabble as to why _I_ think Sasuke doesn't like sweets... I mean... it's totally logical if you're seven years old. As much as I want to... I am far too tired to edit this in the documents but I want to get it up so that when I wake up I can focus on artwork and finding people to go see SCOTT PILGRIM VERSUS THE WORLD! Which I hear is AMAZING! Aww Michael Cera, he's cutest when he's prancing... moving on, /word/ = italics please. Later on I will go through the chapter and put in the italics... but until then. /word/ = italics!

Rainbow dust. It's a magical sweet of sherbert in a tube. All different flavours and different colours. No two sticks of Rainbow Dust are the same. It's the most beautiful sherberty sweet in the land of the UK.

* * *

Sasuke woke up at ten o clock. He was on the couch in the front room in his underwear and his surroundings were nowhere near perfectly clean- the way he had ordered Kiba and Naruto to clean it before he locked them inside and headed for his room. The two dunces appeared to have teamed up against him and escaped the house. His mother... was going to kill him- no she'd do worse than kill him, she'd slowly torture him by tearing apart his room, making him watch and /then/ she'd kill him. He got up in search of them, scratching the back of his head as he walked.

He found the two of them under the table in the garden fast asleep. Naruto had been drawn on- it looked like they had just fallen asleep in the middle of Jigglypuff's solo and the round pink Pok mon had gotten its revenge. The Uchiha pulled out Naruto by his feet and poured a bucket full of water on the blond.  
"WHAT THE HELL!" Naruto exclaimed, the blond's eyes travelled up the body of their assailant and his eyes widened. "Why Sasuke... what a wonderful day it is." he blathered.  
"You and Kiba. You didn't clean the front room. It was the /only/ room I asked you to clean."  
"Its cool man, we'll do it."  
"You're doing it before I go out as well." Sasuke muttered. "Why are we all in our underwear?" Sasuke knew why he was in his; he slept that way, what the hell was Naruto and Kiba's excuse?  
"Oh right... when you went upstairs me and Kiba were playing truth or dare with Itachi and his friends... the last dare was that we had to spend the night outside in our underwear..." The blonde sighed. He wiped his cheeks and saw ink stains on his hands. "Aw shit. They ve drawn on us haven't they?"  
"Yes." Sasuke threw Naruto a towel and headed for his room. He was definitely going to clean himself up before heading out.

.

"This is so /boring/!" Naruto groaned to Kiba. They were fulfilling their end of the party bargain with Sasuke and now they were busy cleaning. They would never quite reach his standards of 'clean'... but they /might/ just get approval from Sasuke's mum.  
"Tell me about it." Kiba responded. "Hey, so I saw you with that hot chick last night. No Sakura then?"  
"Not talking to Sakura."  
"Why the hell not?"  
"I found out some stuff man... I could actually just like... kick her ass right now." Naruto growled into the floor.  
"Oh yeah- like what?"  
"You know that stuff about Hinata..."  
"Yeah Karin did it- totally harsh, but /way/ great cleavage I have to say." Naruto glared at his companion. "What?"  
"Jeez. Didn't you learn from Sasuke's ass-kicking?"  
"I'm just /appreciating/ her man... but yeah- What's that got to do with you and pinkie?"  
"Found out yesterday. Sakura was involved... I can't be friends with someone like that."  
"/Shit/. Sakura?" Kiba stared at Naruto in disbelief, "She is little miss perfect- no way would she get involved with that."  
"Well she didn't deny it bro."  
"I still can't believe it man. That's like... like Akamaru turning into a kitten. /Shit/!" Was that all Kiba could say?  
"Kiba I wouldn't lie about this... If Karin wasn't such a moody bitch, there might be worse pictures of Hinata going around on the internet and saved on creeps' laptops."  
"Yeah... only creeps and pervs saved that picture..." Kiba stuttered.  
"You didn't save it did you?"  
"What- no! Me? Never!" a few seconds later Kiba admitted to it, "I'll delete it when I get home..." he said sullenly. So uh... does Sasuke know?"  
"Karin's been blackmailing Sakura."  
"Well... You're his best friend... he might just beat me up if he hears it from me." Kiba suggested. "You prolly better to that before he leaves too. He's gonna be /pissed/."  
"You're telling me."

.

After reaching the final flight of stairs an hour after waking Sasuke came across Naruto.  
"Hey- me and Kiba finished up downstairs, so he's gone back home."  
"Alright. Why you still here? You not going to try to get the ink off properly?"  
"Yeah but... I gotta tell you something first."  
"Go on..."  
"Karin wasn't the only one involved in all that stuff this week."  
"Yeah, I know that. Suigetsu was involved too."  
"He was? Well shit. That's a trio then."  
"Trio?" Sasuke's interest was piqued. "Who's person number three?"  
"I don't know how to say this ma... but Sakura... I heard Karin talking to her about it... She really doesn't want you to find out." Naruto was pushed aside and Sasuke grabbed his car keys from the side table.  
"Wipe that crap off your face. We're paying Sakura a visit."

.

The start of Sakura's half term couldn't get any worse. Naruto now hated her, Karin was blackmailing her, Ino was leaving her and she had a whole bunch of exams to take after the holiday. She couldn't even enjoy herself at Sasuke's party... boy was Karin pissed off when she turned up dressed for a night out only to be turned away. What was Sakura supposed to say? 'Oh yeah, Naruto found out and is going to kick our asses if we turn up?' The pink haired girl turned over in her bed- she might as well have a lie-in. Her phone rang, well, vibrated... the buzzing sound woke her from the state of half-sleep she was in and she answered groggily.

"Hello?"  
/Sakura come down and open the door.  
"Sasuke? Why are you outside so early?"  
/Just open the door.

Well she wasn't one to leave Sasuke waiting. Sakura hopped out of her bed and opened the door- luckily her pajamas were cute- God forbid that she ever looked trampy in front of him. She could see Naruto looking a little worse for wear standing behind the tall, dark hunk of man she called Sasuke.  
"Sasuke what a supris-"  
"Why did you do that to Hinata?" he demanded. She tried to open her mouth but words wouldn't come out. /Naruto/. Naruto grassed her up- after she asked him not to! She would have expected him to lord this massive secret over her like Karin had done... then again... Naruto wasn't a girl. He didn't get involved in all the 'sneaky fighting' that girls did.  
"I don't know what you're talking about." she said calmly. "Karin did that. /Everyone knows she did./"  
"She might've gone to that Suigetsu-guy... but you were the one who paid!" Naruto yelled. "I heard Karin say it with my own ears."  
"Karin is a crazy bitch who doesn t know what she's talking about..."  
"Sounds like a description that fits you both then." Sasuke retorted. "Why did you do it? Were you jealous or something?"

"Of /course/ I'm jealous! She doesn't even treat you right and you still like her." Sakura started, "I have loved you since I was twelve years old and then out of the blue you just pick this- this /randomer/ over /me/." He didn't know how embarrassing it was for her that week. How all the girls she thought were her friends turned against her with snide little remarks about how she couldn't even beat a geeky little nobody for Sasuke's affections. Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose.  
"You are so lucky my mum raised me not to hit girls." He and Naruto walked past her into the hallway. It's walls were full of family portraits and school photographs, the deep mahogany floor was polished to a shine and the furniture was simple, classy and looked custom made for the Harunos.  
"You can't just barge into my house like that!" she yelled at Sasuke. He grabbed her by the shoulders and glared her into silence.  
"You... do not tell me what I can and can not do." He threatened, "I might not hit you Sakura... but I could do a hell of a lot worse things..."  
"But you wouldn't. Because then Hinata'd be mad at you /again/." she sneered, "I don't see what you see in her. Honestly I don't. She's fighting against you every step of the way and I am here willing for you."  
"I made it clear to you that I didn't want anything to do with you that way Sakura. I made it clear to you /so/ many times. Just give up."  
"I won't... I can't. I love you!"  
"Sakura you don't know what love is." Naruto muttered, "It sounds like you just want Sasuke..."  
"Well I do."  
"I don't want /you/. I want to be with Hinata, and there's a good fucking reason for that. She's not loud, obnoxious, sometimes her stutter gets annoying and yeah, she is stubborn as hell but she is a lot better than you. You were supposed to be her /friend/."  
"She stopped being my friend when she didn't leave you alone." Sakura cried out. "She betrayed me. She got what she deserved."

.

Sasuke said we had to make a detour when he picked me up today. Naruto was in the backseat of his car, so I thought that we were dropping Naruto somewhere before we went to hang out by the park. When we reached a road I'd never been to before they both got out.  
"We'll be back in a second okay?" Naruto said through the open window. The door opened and it was Sakura who held onto the doorknob. Well at least now I knew where she lived... Naruto and Sasuke walked inside after a while... Sakura hadn't closed the door behind them properly. I could hear arguing... please say it wasn't something awful... Sakura was my friend... and Sasuke- I'm not sure exactly /what/ we are... but I know I don't want to have them angry at each other.

There was no instruction for me to stay in the car... maybe if I tried to talk to them...

"-I want to be with Hinata, and there's a good fucking reason for that. She's not loud, obnoxious, sometimes her stutter gets annoying and yeah, she is stubborn as hell but she is a lot better than you. You were supposed to be her /friend/." That sounded like Sasuke... what did he mean Sakura was supposed to be my friend? She is my friend... she's always polite... and friendly.  
"She stopped being my friend when she didn't leave you alone." ... I didn't know Sakura thought of me like that... I- didn't we get over that? "She betrayed me. She got what she deserved." But what were they talking about? this is all so confusing... The front door creaked open as I stood outside... Naruto and Sasuke looked extremely angry... Sasuke was holding Sakura by the shoulders and they were yelling in each other s faces... what was going on.  
"S-sakura? Aren't w-we friends?"  
"Hinata?" The three of them became silent. Sasuke pushed her out of his reach... her eyes looked on me differently... it was like... like she hated me.  
"I-it's just that... I t-thought we w-were. What's going o-on?" After that the three of them avoided making eye-contact with me... Naruto looked like his world had just ended... he was clinching his fists too so I guess he was angry as well; Neji always did that when he was trying to control his anger. I could tell Sasuke was angry, he was tense and there was this awful feeling radiating off of him.  
"Why don't you tell her Sakura?" Sasuke sneered. Tell me what? "You think I'm going to confess to something I didn't even do!" she replied... well what she supposedly did.

"Don't lie! Naruto wouldn't have made this up especially about /you/ so you might as well come clean." This was really too awkward... we stood in silence for a while... I just wanted to know what they were talking about... was that too much to ask? Sasuke and Sakura appeared to be having a stare-down... Naruto looked just as out of place as me... if not more so.  
"Hinata... I heard Sakura talking to Karin the other day... she paid Suigetsu to take those pictures of you and post them around the school..." Naruto admitted. I must have heard him wrong... she was my friend. Friends /didn't/ do things like that. And Suigetsu was /nice/! "What- n-no. That's not true S-Sakura... right?" When she didn't deny it... I felt something well up in me... I thought it was anger at first because it burned so much... then I realized; I just felt betrayed. The only other female friend I had in school had betrayed me. Not just by her but by Suigetsu as well! The past week I thought he was a /nice/ person. He helped me with Ino's leaving gift, he was /kind/ to me... over his own friend. I couldn't believe it- I didn't want to believe it. How could I be tricked so easily? "Say it's not true Sakura. Please..."  
"It wasn't supposed to get this complicated... You were just supposed to get a little humiliated. Just a little!" Like I hadn't already this term? Was that her way of saying 'yes, it's true'?  
"I thought... I was u-under the i-impression we were friends."  
"Like I said. You stopped being my friend the second you started sneaking around my back to get with Sasuke! The three of you leave my house before I call someone." Sakura threatened. I really wanted to slap her... she was willing to end her friendship... over a boy? /Again/?

Naruto was first to leave, his head hung low, I followed after him. Sasuke left last... Naruto and I were already in the car when he immerged from the house.

.

I wish this just didn't happen... this little encounter... it ruined my day. I was actually looking foreword to spend time with Sasuke today... I don't even know if I can keep up a happy face now...  
"Hina, I'm sorry for Sakura."  
"Y-you don't have to a-apologize for her Naruto."  
"Yeah but I feel like I ought to."  
"I-I should be thanking you..." Sasuke slammed the driver's door shut and started the car. "T-the both of you... i-if you hadn't-"  
"Don't worry about it." Naruto said, "Seriously." We drove back to Sasuke's house with the radio filling the silent vehicle with popular songs, no one really seemed in the mood to talk.

Naruto had gotten out the moment Sasuke paused at the driveway- he picked up his helmet and sped off down the road on his orange moped.  
"... D-did you-ah... know about Suigetsu?"  
"Yeah."  
"W-why didn't you t-tell me?"  
"Because he after school, he told me he'd wipe the photo off of everyone's computers... for the right price. And you were ignoring me anyway." He turned on the indicator and we were back on the road, probably heading for my house. "Which reminds me... you have one more."  
"One more?"  
"'Three strikes and you're out' Surely you've heard that."  
"w-well, yeah... b-but not in that c-context." That was then that the first pitter patter of rain hit the windshield. "W-well this t-takes the park out as a d-destination."  
"If we go back to mine you'll see my mum go apeshit." Sasuke said, "We're going to yours."  
"O-okay."

.

Tenten pulled out an umbrella and waited at the doorstep for Hanabi an co. to turn up. It was surprisingly warm seeing as it was raining, but her white trainers were getting muddy. Lee appeared from the front room with a rucksack filled with snacks.  
"Ready Lee?" she asked, "Because the weather looks crap I want to go as soon as possible."  
"Yeah! I am so pumped for this!" Tenten shook her head.  
"Lee, calm down, it's just roller disco."  
"Not just! It is roller disco /and/ bowling 80s style!" the brunette laughed. Lee was obsessed with anything '80s style'... she personally blamed his uncle Guy who said that the 80s were the best decade to live through. The bowl-haircutted male got into the driving seat of his car and put the rucksack in the back seat.  
"HANABI HURRY UP!" she yelled, "Else we'll leave without you!" That seemed to do the trick and Hanabi and her little friend ran down the stairs. The younger girl had her hood pulled up as she flew past Tenten into the back seat. She was mumbling something about how 'it always rains when I straighten my hair!', Konohamaru stood under the umbrella with Tenten, after he slammed the door shut they both walked to the car and he followed Hanabi over the passenger seat into the back. When Tenten was about to get in a car pulled up. She recognized it as Sasuke's car when he came around to pick up Hinata.

"Back so soon?" she asked through the windows.  
"T-the weather's not good."  
"Alright, well, your parents are out for a 'couple day', and uh, we're taking Hanabi to the roller disco in town."  
'So we've got the place to ourselves.' Sasuke thought, 'Sweet.' Tenten got into Lee's car and they drove off. Sasuke parked in the space they vacated which was thankfully close to the house.

Hinata fumbled with her keys at the door, the two of them were getting damp from the downpour. When she finally opened the door no sooner had she kicked off her shoes, Hinata raced to the kitchen. He followed her, was this going to be a fun game of kiss chase?  
"D-do you want a-a cup of tea?" she asked.  
"Coffee. No sugar."  
"O-oh, I almost f-forgot... y-you don't like s-sweet things." she wondered why... sweet things are the most amazing things in the world. "I-if you d-don't mind me a-asking... why n-not?"  
"I hate the dentist."  
"W-wha- the dentist?"  
"I /used/ to like sweets. Back in primary, and all the girls gave me loads and I ate them... One of my teeth had to be taken out."  
"T-that's not a big deal." Hinata stuttered pouring the boiling water into their mugs, "I-I've had teeth t-taken out before..."  
"I was seven, and the numbing gel didn't work. I figured if I stopped eating sweets I'd never have to get another tooth out." Hinata giggled at his story... it made sense if well... you were seven.  
"S-so you've gone ten y-years without sweets?" she passed him a large grey mug of creamy coffee and sipped her own mug. He nodded. "W-wow."  
"I still have to go to the dentist though. I hate him."  
"H-he's just doing his j-job."  
"Because there's nothing more satisfying than causing minors pain." Hinata giggled. She wasn't sure if he was being serious but he did amuse her. "So, what are we going to do today?"  
"I-uh... m-maybe we could do something... fun."  
"Go on."  
"L-like... making... c-cupcakes?"  
"Are you serious? Cupcakes?"  
"W-when I was younger... m-my mother used t-to get us to h-help her m-make them."  
"You want me... to make cakes?"  
"Well if y-you don't want to we co-"  
"I was just clarifying."  
"So you w-want to?"  
"I can bribe my mum with them when I get home."

.

We didn't have to make the cupcakes from scratch. There were packages full of 'cake mix', all we needed was some water, some oil and an egg. Hinata had put her iPod on the dock and Coldplay's Viva la Vida was in the background. She was happily mixing together the cake mix, and water in the largest mixing bowl I had ever seen. I guess it was kind of cute what she was doing, the whole cooking thing.  
"So are you good at making these cupcakes?"  
"S-sometimes..."  
"Hn." I picked up the box and ran over the instructions. "It says we leave them for 15 minutes to rise. What are we gonna do when we're waiting?" I pulled out a table spoon and the vegetable oil- the box said that two were needed.  
"I-I don't know... w-what do you want to do?"  
"We could talk..."  
"O-okay." It was quiet when we started pouring the mix into cupcake holders. We filled up two trays and still there was dough leftover... maybe we added too much water. I put the two trays in her oven- one tray for each of us... well, mine was for my mum. But still. "We have mix leftover... Do you w-want any?" She scooped some out on to her finger and placed it in her mouth.  
"I don't like sweet things remember."  
"Oh right... B-but it's not that bad." Is that so? I watched her dip her finger into the bowl again. The beige goo didn't look that bad. Hinata saw me glancing at it and pushed the bowl to me. She squealed when I wiped the mix on her face. "O-oh my gosh. T-that feels so g-gross." "It's not that bad remember?" I didn't expect her retort. "You got it in my hair!"  
"Y-you got it on m-my face!"  
"Yeah but I can't just wipe it off of my hair." It was going to react with my hair gel, I'll be picking out bits for ages. She giggled, "Do you enjoy my pain?"  
"A-a little..."  
"Well, I like to see you squirm a hell of a lot better." She gasped as I tipped the remaining contents of the bowl on her head. She pulled a handful out of her hair and threw it in my direction. So we're having a food fight now?

.

We had to wash our hair when we were done, there was one bathroom, Hinata used that and we washed my hair in the sink, I have to say... it was nice having someone else s fingers running through my hair. Hinata was lucky enough to have a range of clothes to change into. I was stuck in a dirty, doughy T-shirt and pair of jeans.  
"D-do you want a change o-or anything?"  
"Hn. Just a T-shirt." She disappeared upstairs. I took off my shirt, well I was getting a new one anyway. Someone stepped on the tiled floor barefooted behind me. I thought it was Hinata, it was not. "I thought Hinata's sister went out."  
"I'm her cousin, and a guy."  
"Oh, I'm sorry, with hair like that I'm sure you get it all the time."  
"Don't even /talk/ about hair. Yours looks like a duck's ass."  
"Well your cousin seems to like it." I challenged. I could probably take this guy, if he wants to start something I am more than willing to finish it.  
"N-Neji? I thought you went r-roller disco?"  
"Hinata, who is this topless boy in the kitchen."  
"T-this is S-Sasuke Uchiha... my uh-f-friend..." 'uh friend' huh? "Sasuke this is my c-cousin Neji."  
"I'd say nice to meet you... but it really isn't." he said. Hn. The feeling was mutual.  
"N-Neji!"  
"What? I'm assuming he's that same Sasuke, Hanabi told me about. Why'd you let someone like that spend the night here?"  
"H-he was tired and it was l- Neji... j-just leave us alone... please?" Hinata pushed her cousin outside and closed the door. "S-sorry."  
"Don't be. Not your fault your cousin's a douche."  
"He's just... a-a little protective."  
"That's an understatement. So I'm your 'uh friend'... huh? You know that's one step away from boyfriend."  
"R-really?"

It was then we started smelling burning. Shit- my bribe cakes! Hinata ran to the oven and saved what was left of the cupcakes. There were about five that were burnt at the top, the rest were fine.  
"W-we should probably leave t-them to cool." I put on the T-shirt Hinata handed me and followed her out of the kitchen. That Neji guy better not try to interrupt us again. We went to the front room and her cousin came in again. I glared at him- did he not see we were in the middle of something? He glared back... well he was definitely better at it than Hinata was.  
"Hinata can I talk to you for a moment... /outside/?" Hinata sent me a look, I guess she was apologizing for Neji's behaviour. Even though they closed the door behind them I could hear them arguing through the walls.

.

"Hinata what is he doing here?" Neji hissed.  
"W-we're hanging out."  
"In an empty house? Hinata he could have done God-knows-what to you with no one around!"  
"He-Sasuke's n-not like that..." Well... there was that time he had kidnapped her earlier this term... but she wasn't exactly going to tell Neji about that. That would just agitate him further.  
"I used to hang around with guys like him Hinata! I know what they're like."  
"Y-you don't even k-know him!"  
"I know how Itachi and his friends treated girls when we were at school, I think that's enough to go by."  
"Neji please? I-it's perfectly innocent! I l-like him. A-a lot. A-and Tenten thinks he's nice! She already d-did the interrogation t-thing!"  
"So you were out with him yesterday?"  
"Yes."  
"Hinata you were drunk yesterday. I don't want you to be hanging ar-"  
"No. N-Neji you can't b-boss me around. I'm not a little girl."  
"You're my younger cousin and I-"  
"Y-you're /not/ my f-father. H-he hasn't said anything t-to me a-about Sasuke." Hinata opened the door and returned to her guest.

.

"I-I'm sorry I kept you waiting..." I was sprawled out on the couch when Hinata walked back in. Well that was an interesting conversation... good thing I wasn't the only one who got scolded by Hinata. Ha, it's even worse because Neji's her older cousin.  
"So you like me hn?" She blushed, go figure.  
"Y-you h-hea... You heard th-that?"  
"Your walls are pretty thin." The next half an hour was awkward, Hinata kept glancing over at me like she wanted to say something. "What do you want to say?"  
"I-it's nothing..." she stammered biting her bottom lip.  
"Look, just say want you want to say."  
"B-but it's r-it's stupid..."  
"I'll be the judge of that."  
"Why do you like me?" she squeaked. "I-I'm not pretty like Ino a-and I'm not i-interesting and I'm really awkward an-"  
"Are you just going to list things until you feel like crap about yourself?"  
"B-but I don't understand... t-there's girls out t-there better than me..." She pouted and looked to her feet. I always pick weirdoes to like don't I? First Konan... now Hinata. Both hang out with loads of boys, both of them didn't understand how /anyone/ could like them.  
"You're cute."  
"I-is that i-it?"  
"At first. Then I started watching you... you know when you used to stalk Naruto."  
"Y-you saw that too!" She all but fell to the floor, "T-this is so e-embarrassing..."  
"Are you going to let me continue?"  
"S-sorry."  
"Then after a while... I just did."  
"B-but I'm-"  
"You act different. You actually said no. It's refreshing... but if you make ignoring me a regular habit... I'm out." Hinata nodded enthusiastically. "Unless I've got a reason to stay."  
"L-like?"  
"I dunno. Shit like you fighting your cousin to let me stay-over type things."  
"W-we didn't fight... w-we had a-a creative d-debate."  
"Right... Should we decorate the cakes or what? My mum loves rainbow sprinkles."  
"T-the cakes! I f-forgot. P-please Neji say y-you didn't eat them!" she was pulling on her hair. Yup. She was definitely a weirdo. Hopefully she'd be /my/ weirdo.

.

"ITACHI UCHIHA WHERE IS YOUR LITTLE BROTHER?" Mokoto bellowed. Despite the house being deemed 'clean enough' by Sasuke's friends. It /so/ was not. Opening the oven, microwave /and/ cleaning cupboard she had found various items of trash, drinking stashes that were forgotten and skimpy girls' underwear. "I AM GOING TO KILL HIM!" Itachi cleaned out his ears.  
"I think he went out with his girlfriend mum. You'd like her. She's quiet."  
"My baby has a girlfriend?- No. I am still mad at him! This house is a mess. I thought you were going to keep an eye on him. Bad son."  
"Mum, its fine. I'll call Sasuke for you shall I?"  
"Please. Ooh I'm going to take away his laptop and his TV and I'm going to."  
"Mum. Calm down... have some of my chocolate." The young adult passed his mother a box of half eaten chocolate that she continued to mutter over as she ate them.

/Yo.  
"Sasuke. Mum wants you to get home."  
/When?  
"Now. You're in the shit."

"Itachi! Don't use that language!"  
"Yes mum."

/Alright... but I'm going to be a while.  
"Why?"  
/We're making bribe cakes for mum.  
"Alright... and uh- bring Hinata over, I need to give her some stuff."  
/Fine.

"Well?"  
"He'll be coming over soon ma. He's got a surprise for you."  
"It better not be a grandchild. I am far too young to be a grandma."  
"I'm sure it's not /that/ kind of surprise." He went to the hallway. "You need anything else?"  
"More chocolate."

.

Sasuke sighed as he put down his phone... I figured he was talking to Itachi.  
"My mum wants me home."  
"O-oh... We haven't finished the cakes... do you want to g-give her the ones we made?"  
"Na. We can finish up before we go."  
"W-we?"  
"Itachi wants to give you something, and my mum'll be less angry if I have someone as cute as you around."  
"I'm n-not that c-cute..." I guess this means I'm going to meet the rest of the family... or maybe he's trying to get even? He's met three members of my family now... my father, Hanabi and now grumpy Neji...  
"Yeah. You are."  
"N-nah uh."  
"Yah huh."  
"Nah uh."  
"Are we really going to be that childish? Because if we are... prepare for icing on your face."  
"N-no! Sasuke!" We just cleaned up half an hour ago. We both spread icing on each other s face as we turned around. The icing Sasuke was using was made of chocolate and mine was strawberry flavoured ready made. Pink looks a lot better on your face than brown does.

.

I had a lot more fun than I expected to have with Sasuke... Maybe it's just because I'm insanely happy when I'm making cakes... we were driving to Sasuke's house now, I had a Tupperware container filled with decorated cupcakes on my lap.  
"She's probably going to ground me."  
"Huh?"  
"My mum. Even with the bribe cakes... I might not see you the rest of half term."  
"Hn... But we could... after m-maybe..."  
"We could what?"  
"D-do this again?"  
"I'm up for it. But how about we go out to eat instead of making cupcakes."  
"Mhmm." Wow... we had an definite date. A proper one. I was smiling to myself and I guess he was as well.

"I'm home." Sasuke called. Instantly a lady I assumed was his mother appeared on the upper-landing. She was beautiful- I could definitely see where Sasuke got his looks from... even though he hated being called 'pretty'.  
"Young man you are in trouble. Look at what your friends did to my house!" I guess she's also where he got his tidiness from. "Who is that?"  
"This is Hinata Hyuuga. She's my girlfriend." What? We didn't make anything... anything definite!  
"H-hi..."  
"Hyuuga?" she was walking down the stairs towards us. "Didn't her father call? She doesn't look like /that/ sort of girl Sasuke."  
"She's not... anyway... We bought you something."  
"Like I told your brother, it better not be a grandchild." Sasuke nudged me in the side and I took the lid off of the container and presented her with the cupcakes. "Is that... chocolate... icing?"  
"Yes." His mother's eyes lit up like candles. He smirked as she beamed at the iced cakes. She picked up one and took a bite out of it.  
"You are still grounded." she turned to me, "Hi, I'm Mokoto, Sasuke's mum."  
"I'm H-Hinata."  
"I'll take those off of you." She chirped. "Sasuke, your brother's upstairs in his room. Oh, and until this house is as spotless as your room, you are grounded." She took hold of the container and danced to the kitchen. Sasuke pulled at my elbow. 'Let's go' he mouthed. He sprinted up the stairs.

.

"She likes you."  
"H-how can you tell?"  
"She didn't attack you."  
"She's a-attacked p-people?"  
"Some of Itachi's ex girlfriends... given that was when she walked in on them." Wow... I guess Neji wasn't completely blowing things out of proportion then... we walked into a messy room, the only thing I could clearly see was the computer mounted on a desk by the window. Itachi was slouching on a spinning chair. Wow, his room surely was the opposite to Sasuke. The younger Uchiha looked really uncomfortable in all the mess.  
"Oh hey! Hinata, I was wondering if you could do a favour for me."  
"O-okay. What?"  
"Well... I'm going camping tomorrow and I'll be out all week. So I'll miss Ino's departure." He searched around for a couple minutes and gave up. "Okay, so I can't find it /now/. I'll drop it off tomorrow alright?"  
"O-okay."  
"Was that all you wanted Itachi?" Sasuke muttered.  
"No, I also wanted to give Hinata a message for her friend... Tenten?" I nodded my head.  
"Well Kisame admits defeat."  
"W-what?"  
"I dunno. They had some competition, he insisted that they drew or something." I giggled, Tenten had told me about her drinking contest against Kisame- they both drank like fishes that night. Sasuke thought it was time for me to go home... he probably wanted to get started on organising his cleaning products or something...

We got to the door when Sasuke froze. I looked behind us and his father was glaring a hole in the back of his head.  
"I thought your mother grounded you."  
"She did but Hinata needs a lift home."  
"Grounded means that you can't leave the house. I'll take this girl home." Sasuke scoffed.  
"But D-"  
"No, go to your room." Sasuke handed me the box when his dad went into the front room to get his keys.  
"I'll see you around."  
"Y-yeah." Sasuke pulled me into a kiss. It didn't last very long but still. No doubt there was a blush on my face. He mock-saluted me before he went upstairs... I just stared at the floor waiting for his father. I wish it wasn't going to be awkward... his dad seemed very intimidating... yet again another trait I could see in Sasuke.

.

"So you're Hiashi's daughter?" he said after ten minutes of silence in the car. I guess he was trying to be polite.  
"Y-yes... a-how do you know him... m-my daddy?"  
"We used to work together."  
"O-oh." I didn't even know that.  
"We talk about you kids all the time."  
"Really?"  
"Yes, Hiashi was telling me the other day about how your cousin was like a little bodyguard when you were younger." He laughed, "When you were two, some seven year old was hitting you on the head with one of those Styrofoam sticks, and Neji heard you crying. Beat the kid up, he was two years younger." I didn't even remember that. A giggle escaped my lips.  
"H-he's still k-kind of like that."  
"Good kid that Neji. Tell your father to give Fugaku a call sometime that doesn't involve your and my son's nightly activities." I got out of the car blushing... great. Does everyone in our families think we did /that/?  
"I w-will. T-thank you... f-for the lift." He drove off and I headed inside. Everyone's cars were in the driveway, so it was safe to assume that the house was full. When I opened the door I could smell my mama's cooking. I heard Hanabi, Tenten and Lee talking to Neji about roller disco and my father was most likely in his study next to the kitchen. I popped my head around the corner of the door.  
"Daddy... Fugaku Uchiha says maybe you should give him a call sometime."  
"Ah, of course." I was about to leave when he called me back. "Hinata... Neji told me something about that Sasuke being here with you alone?"  
"W-we made cupcakes."  
"Hm. Well make sure it stays that way... what is he to you anyway?" How could I reply to that?  
"H-he's my b-boyfriend..." just slipped out, I-I think."  
"Very well. Neji doesn't like him, so be cautious. That Itachi was a loose canon at your age. He might've picked up the behaviour."  
"Y-yes daddy." Mama then called everyone to tell us that dinner was ready... it was spaghetti and meatballs, because we always have dinner together on Saturday night I helped her carry the food and drink to the dining room.

.

On Sunday morning Itachi visited the Hyuuga household at six am. As usual, Hinata was the only one awake at such a time. She answered the door in her pajamas and robe with a triangular piece of toast in her mouth.  
"H-Hi Itachi."  
"Hey Hinata, I just came to drop this off before I head out camping." He handed her a box decorated with red wrapping paper and purple ribbons. "Tell me if Ino likes it." He passed it over to her and she was surprised by how heavy it was... it certainly didn't /look/ heavy.  
"O-Kay... Have fun... camping I mean."  
"I'm sure I will. Oh and;" he rifled through his pockets fetching a piece of paper. "This is from the grounded one." He put down the paper on the top of the box and turned around. Hinata closed the door behind her with her foot. What did Sasuke want to say to her?

/Hinata,  
Come to mine at 12, parents are out./

He wanted her to sneak in and violate the terms of his groundedness? Although she wasn't one for breaking the rules per say, she felt slightly guilty... if she hadn't gone away with Shikamaru and Tenten and everyone else, she might have been able to help him clean up and then he wouldn't have been grounded in the first place. Maybe she should go over and offer to help... he wouldn't be grounded anymore for one.

So it was decided then. She'd go over to the Uchiha house like Sasuke asked of her.

.

Tenten woke up at eight thirty in Hanabi's room. Hanabi's room was the second biggest in the house because she hoarded an unnatural amount of things; Barbie dolls that she hid from her friends, a bunch of troll dolls, and a double breasted wardrobe that was filled to the brim with clothes that the girl hardly ever wore. The brunette slid out of the lower of the bunk bed, well it was more like a futon turned that rolled out into a bed at a 90 degree angle. Next to her futon was a small dresser which had Hanabi's make-up supplies and her straightness. She stumbled out of the room and to the bathroom, bumping into Neji on the way. She was still wearing his T-shirt, he'd given it to her seeing as her shampoo caused a small stained at the back of the neck.  
"Oh hey Neji."  
"Hi." He replied before ducking back into his and Lee's room. What was with him lately? Since Friday night he'd been acting a little different... almost... skittish? As Tenten scrubbed shampoo into her scalp she shut her eyes in concentration- as well as to prevent water and suds from making her cry. A rinse later and both she and her hair were wrapped in fluffy white towels and she applied baby gel to her skin- because if you apply Johnson's right after a shower it locks in the moisture- the advert didn't lie, her skin stayed hydrated all day thanks to the clear gel. After pulling on a pair of underwear under her towel, Tenten left the blue tiled room. Lee was waiting outside in a green robe.  
"Lee... is Neji seeming a little... off to you?"  
"No, has he been exhibiting strange behaviour?"  
"If you're not seeing anything weird then I guess it's all in my head." she dismissed.

When she went downstairs for breakfast Hinata and Neji were watching TV curled up in the front room. In a pair of baggy, grey sweatpants and a white T-shirt she quickly made herself some scrambled eggs, two rashers of bacon and toast. She was hungry and it was one of the few things she knew how to cook well. Hanabi growled in the corner.  
"Can I have some?"  
"Yeah sure." Tenten passed the plate of her food to Hanabi. "I'll just make some more." With that Hanabi bolted from the room with her plate and cutlery in hands. But Tenten wasn't fussed. She was in a good mood; somehow Naruto had gotten a hold of her number and sent her a text. They were going on a date come Tuesday. Not that Tenten had just given up on her feelings for Neji; but she'd liked him for nearly five years now, if he didn't notice her feelings still, she might as well move on. When she was done making her breakfast for the second time, she headed to the front room. That's were they all kept out of Mr. and Mrs. Hyuuga's way on the weekends.

"Thanks for the breakfast Tenten." Hanabi mumbled through toast. She was still in her pajamas with bed-hair, Hinata look ready to go out to the park or something similar with a pair of jeans and a long sweater. Her worker boots were by her feet at the sofa and she was resting her head on Neji's shoulder as they watched some TV. Tenten took a seat next to Neji and felt him tense up beside him.  
"Eh- what's wrong with you?"  
"Nothing at all."  
"Whatever you say..." She didn't believe him of course. Neji was only a slightly better liar than Hinata was. Tenten tried to ignore his strange behaviour and enjoy her breakfast.  
"A-ah I'm going out today." Hinata announced.  
"Ooh~ With Sasuke?" Hanabi and Tenten asked in sync.  
"N-no!" Hinata spluttered, "He's grounded a-anyway..." Neji scoffed.  
"I told you he was no good."  
"Neji leave the guy alone, he's kind of nice." Tenten scolded. Neji shot her a glare and she returned it.  
"He didn't do anything b-bad... he got grounded b-because his house got trashed t-the other night. I-it's just till t-the house is clean again." Well, that made sense. So who was Hinata going out with then? Neji seemed to want to know that above all other details.  
"N-Naruto."  
"Naruto?" Neji asked, whoops. Tenten stiffened slightly... Neji didn't sound too pleased. "The same Naruto who-" Tenten covered his mouth at once.  
"Hinata doesn't need to know about that." She giggled nervously. Hanabi eyed her suspiciously but dismissed it and continued eating a rasher of bacon. For a while their attention was focused on the show in front of them. It was something about a bunch of cartoon teenagers stuck in a crappy old camp doing survival challenges in order to win a substantial amount of money. At first Tenten was like; what? Why are a bunch of teenagers and a twelve year old watching a cartoon? But then she realised the cartoon was a little more grown up than she thought. With the rolling credits paired with a catchy theme

'Na, nana na, na. Na na na, na-na-na-naa. I wanna be- I wanna be- I wanna be famous!'

Hinata pulled on her worker boots and headed out. Neji watched her like a hawk but didn't move to follow her. Tenten and Hanabi had finished their breakfast, the younger girl offered to do the washing up seeing as Tenten did the cooking. When they were alone Tenten turned to her friend.  
"Neji the hell is wrong with you?"  
"I have no idea what you're talking about."  
"You've been acting cold to me. Not fair." Tenten pouted. "Are you mad at me? I honestly didn't mean to get /that/ drunk."  
"That's not it Ten."  
"Then what is it?" Neji looked as though he was about to tell her when Lee walked in, eyes aflame and with a determined expression.  
"NEJI! I challenge you to Sonic and Sega All-stars Racing!"  
"You're on." And just like that the conversation was left alone. Tenten was slightly disappointed but it's not like she was going to yell at Lee for being his lovely, eccentric self. Even if she was close to figuring out why Neji was acting so weird. There'd be other days, and they didn't have any plans, she could spend it with her two best pals.  
"Me versus the winner!" She announced over the buzzing sound effects.

* * *

Mm. Sakura's personality change. Bad isn't it? I mean... I portrayed her as the frienemy and now it's time for her to become fully fledged enemy. She will get her comeuppance, no need to worry. And Suigetsu? Maybe... I mean... I totally just made him an e-mercenary. Maybe he'll avoid a punishment... I'm not to sure yet. Next update- Some half-term stuff, Ino leaving, and back to school stuff.

Back to Sakura, I feel like I've had her wearing this constant mask around Hinata. Now that Sasuke knows of her little misdeed she's got nothing to loose from holding back her 'true' nature... maybe she's been hanging out with Karin too much, who knows? But yes- the jealousy is out, Hinata is betrayed, will Ino find out? Does Tenten go out with Neji or Naruto! These are questions that will be answered in later chapters.


	14. Chapter 14

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Hello, tis a shorter chapter than the ones I've been writing up hm? Well, school has now offically started, so it is to be expected. Ooh! And I'm in a play- how wonderful! But: I now have 3 half days... after my EE and exams are done... I bet you know what I'll be using them for (More Fanfiction)! OOH- and I've GOT 100 REVIEWS! Also- to answer an anon. review I recieved today- Sandy! Hai! Thanks for my 100th review, but in regards to your request for a lemon... ah... I don't really think it would fit in the story- not that I'm ignoring it. But it just won't work... I mean... sometimes it will get steamy but I don't think of Hinata as the type to jump into sex so quickly (it's been a whole term! joke) but in all seriousness. If I wanted to put in a lemon there'd have been many times to put one in... besides... as much a pervert as I am, I feel wierd writing about it...

Anyway. Enjoy.

* * *

One thing Sasuke hadn't expected was that his mother would have _locked_ him inside of the house. In fact, the only openings to the house were the front windows, and they were so thin that he couldn't even get through them. He was supposed to be under 'house arrest' until the house was clean... it was now clean. He had slaved away until Itachi came downstairs at 4AM, he would have been finished if Itachi hadn't 'lost' his phone in the front room and made breakfast in the kitchen. At that time however Sasuke was asleep in his room so he couldn't clean Itachi's mess as fast as it was made.

_Ding Dong._

That would be Hinata. He checked his watch... she was early. Sighing he walked up to the door and opened the letter-flap.  
"I'm locked in."  
"W-what?"  
"My mum's locked me in the house and she's taken my keys." Mokoto discipline was god awful. Fugaku just enforced her ideas... but she was a devious woman with a dark little mind. The world was fooled by her kind appearance. She was evil... sort of... okay as far as mothers go she wasn't /that/ evil... "You could probably get in through the windows up front." He tapped on the door window and signaled for her to follow him. The doors for the front led into the Uchiha dining room, they were fairly thin and high. Hinata wouldn't have much problem getting through. When he opened the window she looked up at him in confusion.  
"S-Sasuke maybe I should just g-go home..." No she was not. If she came over she was going to stay over for more than two seconds.  
"You can climb through the window." he suggested.  
"Wha- no I c-can't! I'll feel like... like I'm b-breaking in."  
"Well you will be." It was true... technically she _would _be breaking into the house. "You can get up on the ledge right?"  
"Mhmm." He watched her pull her body up onto the ledge and slip in sideways through the window. He would've thought with her boobs that she would've had trouble but evidently not. A minute after Sasuke's coaxing and Hinata was inside the house with him. As he watched her she started getting self-conscious, he wasn't wearing shoes and she had just walked the long way (through the local park) to get there, were her shoes muddying the floors? "A-ah." Nervously the girl poked her fingers today. "W-what are we d-doing today?"  
"We are going to watch a couple movies, in my room."  
"Y-your room?"  
"We watched the movies in your room. Fair is fair." He took off up the stairs to go through the family DVD collection. Seeing as Hinata had made him watch her childish Toy Story films, he'd make her watch the films_ he_ grew up with. Hinata followed after him when she had left her shoes by the doorway.

.

The pair sat on the double bed watching the movies. He had picked out South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and Team America: World Police. The two films _might_ have contributed to his casual swearing, like that mattered. Team America had made Hinata laugh. Especially the 'Dicks, Pussies and Assholes' speech, but she giggled for ages every time Matt Damon's puppet would drawl out 'Maaatt Dayman'. Sasuke almost made a move on her when she buried her head in his shoulders during the puppet sex scene. She was blushing all the while even though she didn't face the screen, he guessed the song lyrics were the reason for that... Sasuke would rather that he was the reason she was blushing.

The South Park movie... that was a whole other story. The second Chef had bought up 'finding the clitoris' Hinata practically died from some sort of embarrassment.  
"Wha- he's telling _children_ about t-that!" she squeaked.  
"It's a cartoon. Not real."  
"B-but-"  
"Not real."  
"I-it's still embarrassing."  
"Really? Why?" he teased. Sasuke smirked as Hinata fumbled over her inaudible explanation. Hinata retreated to his side at the end credits, she didn't tense when his arm wrapped around her waist. In fact, she turned up to face him as though inviting him to her lips for a kiss. This was his chance! _In for the kill Sasuke... well in. Well in_. he congratulated himself smugly. As he moved forwards Hinata asked him a question he really wasn't expecting.  
"Y-you watched these growing u-up?"  
"With Itachi and Dad, yeah." and with his mother he had watched rom-coms. Her favourite was 'While you were sleeping', but he didn't see why a woman would be so stupid to entangle herself into a stranger's life while he was in a coma. 'Fianc e', tch, she wasn't that guy's fianc e, just some enamored fan girl. "They were better than what Mum made me watch."  
"L-like?"  
"Like, Dirty Dancing."  
"O-oh." A ghost of a smile crossed her face.  
"Are you holding in something?"  
"I d-didn't think you followed rules... I mean- t-the way you a-act in school..."  
"The school isn't run by Mum. If it was I'd be a model student." He sighed. Suddenly he didn't feel like making a move anymore.  
"Y-your mum s-sounds harsh."  
"You learn to live with it. I'll go get us something to eat." Time to play host... hopefully if he brought her something she liked she'd be less likely to talk about his parents. Could you think of anything worse than parents as a base for conversation? Only thing worse could possibly be death.

.

He came up, bags of Walker's crisps in hand to find Hinata rifling through his game collection. As much as he hated people going through his stuff he wasn't as bothered as he thought he would be.  
"Having fun?"  
"Y-you have Guitar Hero."  
"And?"  
"I-I'm really g-good at Guitar Hero." Was that so? _'Challenge her_!' Sasuke's mind seemed to yell at him.  
"I play on Expert."  
"S-so do I." Walker's crisps thrown aside Sasuke walked over to the closet and pulled out two guitar consoles. "A-are we going to p-play?"  
"Guitar battle." Hinata smirked confidently as she slung the strap over her shoulder and sat cross legged at the edge of his bed. Sasuke plugged in his Wii and put in the Guitar Hero disc. He'd given Hinata the guitar with the broken whammy bar. It wasn't cheating. If she managed to win he'd give her the due kudos.

Seven songs in and five packets of Walker's Ready Salted crisp packets later, Hinata was ahead of Sasuke by a thousand points.  
"How are you beating me?"  
"I'm g-good..."  
"Final song. If you get a higher score than mine. You win." He didn't tell her that the song he was picking was Cliffs of Dover. A song he could barely get through. 80% in, Hinata was booed off of the stage. "Looks like I win." He smirked.  
"But that was i-impossible!" Hinata protested.  
"Well I did it." _Just-_ but she didn't need to know that_. _Hinata slumped down onto the bed pouting.  
"Y-you just had to pick the h-hardest song."  
"Well yeah. So seeing as you lost... do I get a prize?" He was aiming for a kiss here. She'd already ruined the mood earlier with parent talk but her loosing Guitar Hero could change the night around.  
"N-nope."  
"I think I deserve one. Cliffs of Dover is a hard to complete, but you know that don't you?" Hinata scowled at him. Arms folded across her chest she raised an eyebrow.  
"Well maybe if y-you can right now... finish it I mean. M-maybe you'll get one."  
"Alright then." Sasuke took the guitar console off of Hinata and pressed the green button at the end of it while sitting down on the spinning chair for his desk.

**[Retry Song]**

He'd gotten a hand cramp and his thumb felt like it was about to drop off, but Sasuke turned to Hinata. The screen showed the results of his effort. Not only had he completed Cliffs of Dover, he'd beaten his high score. HINATAH was the name that the Guitar was registered to so he deleted the name SASUKE replaced it.  
"I won. So what's my reward?" Hinata looked upon him in disbelief. She grabbed on of the remaining packets of the Walker's crisps and handed it to him. "Are you serious?" She nodded. "My prize is a packet of crisps that came from my snack cupboard?"  
"W-well... yeah."  
"That's not that much of a prize."  
"Well... what do y-you suggest then?"  
"A kiss maybe." Hinata turned her attention to the floor blushing again.  
"W-why a kiss?"  
"I like kissing you." That comment made her face darken again. "You seem to mind kissing me a lot less when you've been drinking you know. I got kisses left, right and centre." Sasuke rolled the chair until he was opposite Hinata. She looked up at him through lowered lashes.  
"A-ah..." She slowly bit down on her lower lip... she could tell Sasuke was watching her mouth. "Sasuke?" she whispered.  
"Hn?" They stayed quiet for five moments, when Hinata licked her lip Sasuke had enough of the silence and kissed her. Hinata eventually leant backwards onto the bed and Sasuke followed her forwards. Her fingers were in his hair, brushing against his scalp. God it was ten times a better feeling than when she washed his hair the other day. Five minutes later when they both needed to breath they stopped. Hinata evaluated the position they were in... It was a bit too much for her. Sasuke was looming above her, his legs between her own, their faces mere inches apart. _This_ was the sort of thing her dad wanted her to avoid. "You're vibrating." Sasuke said. Sure enough she was. _Daddy Mob_ She picked up.

"H-hello?"  
_Hinata, we need you to come home and babysit Hanabi._  
"A-ah... can't Neji d-do it?"  
_Neji and his friends are leaving for a movie now, your mother and I are visiting-_  
"O-okay... I-I'll come home."  
_Do you need a lift?_  
"I-it's okay... I'll walk."

"Leaving so soon?" He asked her.  
"I-I have to go b-babysit." He lifted himself off the bed, therefore freeing her from the bed. As she stood up, she straightened out her crumpled jumper. "A-ah... bye?"

.

Mokoto walked into her house feeling accomplished. Sasuke hadn't the chance to leave the house. Itachi- the mess maker was gone, and now she could possibly eat off of the floor if she wanted to. It was good having a son with suspected OCD. She kicked off a pair of heels and searched the kitchen for the left over cupcakes Sasuke and his girlfriend brought over. There were four left. Itachi must've taken some of them with him, meh. Those four were now to be guarded from everyone in the house- they were _hers_. Stepping out of the kitchen to close the windows in the dining room she noticed the window key was still in the lock.  
"SASUKE UCHIHA?"

.

"Shit. Well, Hinata, looks like you're going to see my mum go apeshit after all." I said, Hinata looked terrified. She was just about to step out of my room when mum yelled my name. She sounded like she was stamping up the stairs to my room. Hinata was frozen in place- was she going to stay there or run? I wondered why I was so casual about it... I was terrified of my mum when she was angry.

My door flew open and Hinata jumped back, practically into my lap.  
"Sasuke... The front windows were ope- How did you get in here?"  
"I asked her over after I cleaned. The door was locked so she climbed in through the window." Mokoto stared down the shivering girl. Well at least this one was wearing clothes, not like those other girls Itachi played around with.  
"And it was _after_ you cleaned."  
"We were going to go out but you locked me in so..."  
"Fine, fine, fine. Next time you are going to call me when you invite someone over." She turned around and headed back down the stairs with cupcakes in hands, "And if someone can sneak through the windows. Close it after them. There are expensive things here." Hinata looked at me as though she was confused, this was the second time she had met my mother and both times she had turned from angry beast to pleasant in a mater of seconds.  
"I guess that I can walk you home then." I pulled on a jacket and my favourite pair of trainers. I wasn't going to see her until our date... we didn't even have a set day for that but I knew it wasn't going to be Tuesday. I might as well do my homework tonight and tomorrow. Then I'd be free for the rest of week.

.

Tuesday morning I woke up at eleven. Ino was leaving for South Korea today. I was going to spend the last few hours with her and her group of friends. Tch. Hinata hadn't talked to me since Sunday, but I don't really care anymore. She knows and she's probably going to tell Ino and ruin the whole day for her.  
"Sakura sweetie what are you doing today?" my mum asked.  
"I'm going to the airport with Ino mum. She's leaving today."  
"That's such a shame... she was such a nice girl."  
"Yeah mum I know." I said. My strengtheners hissed and crackled as they passed through my hair. My outfit for today meant that I could focus on my hair and makeup before putting on clothes. Nothing to pull over my head that would mess up my hair or smudge my lip-gloss. The next fifteen minutes I listened to my radio while fixing my hair. After it was straightened I pulled it into a ponytail- I'm so glad I let my hair grow beyond my shoulder or else my ponytail would look like a tuft at the top of my head. The radio presenter told me that it was twelve o clock when I finished getting dressed. I was supposed to be at Ino's house in fifteen minutes. No way was I going to make that journey by bus. "MUM!"  
"What honey?"  
"Could you give me a lift to Ino's?" By car it's be about ten minutes.  
"Give me ten minutes honey. I'm almost done the washing up."  
"Mum I don't _have_ ten minutes to give!" I basically slid down the banisters of the stairs. "I have to be there before-"  
"Okay, okay Sakura. I'll drop you now, the dishes can wait."  
"Thanks ma." Well that was most awesome. I loved having a mum who'd drop everything for me. I mean, Ino's left her ages ago and is trying to be a mum again. Tch, like you get a second chance after something like that.

.

When I got there Ino had just put all of her suitcases in the boot of her dad's car. I ran up and hugged her.  
"I thought you weren't leaving till tonight Pig!"  
"Yeah Forehead I am. _But _we're prepared for anything."  
"So what's on the agenda for today?"  
"I dunno, hanging out, a movie and food." I love how great of a planner Ino is. "Hina and the boys are late though. Really annoyingly so. I mean... I expect it from Shika- he's too lazy to get up in half term sometimes... but not Hinata. She wakes up with the sun- I kid you not."  
"Oh... well that's interesting."  
"Sakura do you like Hinata? I mean... over the whole Sasuke fiasco..."  
"Oh yeah. Me and Hinata are cool."  
"Great." Ino gushed, "I'm worried that if I go she won't have any girl friends. You know how sucky that is right?"  
"She'll be fine Ino. Don't worry about it." Well, I'm not exactly going to ruin her last day am I? Why should I care if Hinata is the only girl in a group of friends. Lots of girls do that, no one cares. We then saw Hinata turn the corner with some brunette in buns, she had something in a white plastic Tesco bag. Ino hugged her and the other girl at once.

"Sakura, this is Tenten, she's Hinata's cousin's friend."  
"Hi, nice to meet you."  
"Right back atcha." Hinata and I shared an awkward look. From the look on her face she seemed confused. "Hinata can I talk to you alone for a second?"

"W-what?"  
"We have to pretend to be friends today. For Ino."  
"I-I don't want to lie t-to her about this Sakura... I'm not sure I'll r-really enjoy my day w-with Ino if you're keeping t-the other day from her."  
"Do you want to ruin her last day? Because if you do I'm all for going up to her and ruining her friendship."  
"W-well you h-had no problem d-doing that over S-sasuke twice."  
"Whatever. But Ino and me are friends again, ok. So we only have to be 'friends' until she leaves."  
"S-she's going to f-find out one day. T-the truth always comes o-out... I thought y-you'd know t-that." Spare me the lecture. Who does she think she is? My mother? Hell, even my mum doesn't talk so condescendingly to me. She probably thinks that because Sasuke knows now that I'm just some washed up loser and that she is the winner or something.  
"Well if you want to ruin the day be my guest. Ino'll really want to remember it as the day her two best friends had a fight."

.

We walked in on Tenten and Ino's conversation... apparently Tenten was going out on a trail date with him. Better her than me, I mean... I don't even have to put up with his constant 'Sakura look at me!' attitude. Good riddance. But what on earth was she wearing on a date? I mean, I know it's Naruto but you could at least make an effort to not look like a total reject. She was wearing a short sleeved oversized pink checked shirt with a hood, a white vest t-shirt, jeggings and trainers. She looked like she was ready to go see a movie with 'the guys' not going on a date with one.  
"I'll see you guys later. Except you Ino, I hope you'll keep me up to date via Hinata."  
"Of course!" With that she walked down the street, the direction she was going in meant that they were going to the cinema. Please god, if you are out there don't get us in the same cinema! Naruto will definitely go apeshit if he sees me 'with' Hinata, seeing as I didn't 'apologize'. "I really wonder where Chouji and Shika are... we've been waiting twenty minutes now haven't we Forehead?"  
"Yup. Who knows, maybe they have a surprise for you?"  
"Nah... They already gave me the iPod." She turned to Hinata, "That was my surprise gift right?" The girl who stole Sasuke from me nodded. And to think... I could have been friends with her... she couldn't fit in with the other girls and me if she tried to- she was too weird. Inochi brought out some lemonade for us, Hinata slowly sipped hers through a straw and Ino and I basically washed it down in a few mouthfuls.  
"Is your boyfriend always this late?"  
"Not usually. I mean... sometimes he's ten minutes but he calls and stuff."  
"What a day not to call you."  
"Tell me about it."

.

Chouji and Shikamaru turned up half an hour late in a Volkswagen van. Shikamaru leant out of the passenger window.  
"You're late." Ino pouted.  
"We were negotiating."  
"Negotiating what?"  
"A meal deal with Chouji's parents. Everything's free but dessert. I'll pay for that." Well I'd be happy to only pay for dessert, if Shikamaru made that sort of deal with him before it's no wonder that Chouji was so porky.  
"You trying to seduce me into staying by buying me things?" Ino teased. The back door slid open and Ino and Hinata climbed aboard. I pulled down my shirt before getting in with them. I sat next to Ino as the space next to Hinata was taken up by that bag of hers. What was even in it?

After our meal at Chouji's restaurant Ino got given a box by Hinata.  
"I-I d-don't know w-what it is... b-but ah- I-Itachi said it w-was for you."  
"Oh I wonder what it is!" Ino squealed. Shikamaru looked slightly jealous but hey, if _I_ was a guy and my girlfriend was given a gift by someone as hot as Itachi... I'd be suspicious about it. We all watched as Ino opened the rectangle box. "Books?" She disappointedly groaned. And it was. _Boring_, it was a well known fact that Ino really hated reading... unless of course it was a vampire type book- Twilight sucked her in hard and now she was hooked.  
"B-but books a-aren't that bad."  
"No offence Hina, but unlike you, Ino hates reading."  
"L-look at the b-blurb..." Hinata said grinning, she probably read the book already, Ino flipped the book over. You could see her eyes light up.  
"He got me a vampire book set!" Chouji laughed and Shikamaru shook his head. Sometimes Ino could be such a child.  
"Can you imagine Itachi buying _vampire_ books?" Shikamaru asked me. "I just hope this isn't too much like Twilight."  
"I won't be able to sleep on the plane."  
"H-he'd give it t-to you himself b-but he's g-gone camping... I'll let h-him know you l-like it."  
"Thanks Hina!"

.

I waited at the cinema closest to my house. I was going to meet Tenten... I think I pulled at Sasuke's party. So... maybe there's some real 'chemistry' between us or something. The people at the cinema ticket booth were giving me suspicious looks; so I had been watching the entrance for about fifteen minutes without moving once- it's not that bad. Have they never seen someone waiting for a date before? There she came around the corner, hair in buns- if I said she looked totally different to Friday night I wouldn't be lying. She recognized me at once... like blond hair and orange clothes don't make a person stand out in a crowd.  
"Hey."  
"Hey. You good?"  
"Yeah- you left love bites you know." She teased, "I said no evidence."  
"Couldn't really help myself to be honest." That made her blush. "Could it be that you didn't want your boyfriend to find out you could be so-"  
"There's no boyfriend!"  
"Awesome." Even though she looked different to how I remember she still acted the same... minus the alcohol in both of our systems. "So uh... Scott Pilgrim vs. The World?"  
"I guess I could settle for that... I would've preferred a horror film... but you know. I'm all for awkward Cera." Awesome. I wish I'd bought tickets for a horror flick now. But with Tenten at my side it didn't matter so much, she was grinning wider than the Cheshire cat, I guess she kinda brushed off on me because by the time we got to the screen we were giggling at things we saw Friday night.

.

We finished out meal at Chouji's restaurant and headed out. Because the boys were late and we took _forever_ eating it was a bit too late to go to a cinema and watch a film... well... unless we went in for half of the movie... and that's really not worth it.  
"Hey-hey. I'm vibrating." Shikamaru said. When he picked up the phone. "Yo... Inochi?" Apparently Ino's flight was due to arrive earlier, he had already drove to our location and was waiting outside. The tears started then... it became all to clear that Ino was going to be gone physically from my life until she was allowed to come back for the holidays. Eyeliner and mascara were down our cheeks as we shared our last hug.  
"I'm gonna miss you my little Hina."  
"B-be safe. Y-you have to come back a-and see us."  
"And you're going to keep me up to date with you and Sasuke!" I could see Sakura wince at the mention of him. "Sakura, you'll be telling me all the bits she leaves out right?"  
"Oh of course!" Sakura exclaimed. As she pulled Ino into her own hug I couldn't help but feel the bitterness rising up inside of me. It didn't feel nice... disliking a person so much.

I guess it's just another one of the reasons I try to stay out of Mean Girls' 'Girl World'. Everything is so sneaky... there's so much strange things. People breaking up friendships over boys... starting rumours to get back at someone for something they weren't even aware of. I was playing along with Sakura today... Ino doesn't need this amount of drama today... not after this last term. When Ino finally got into her dad's car with Shikamaru we all waved her off. Chouji offered us a lift home... Sakura accepted at once... Now that Ino was gone I really didn't have to keep up pretences.  
"I-It's okay... I'll walk home."  
"You sure?" Chouji asked. "It's really not a trouble at all."  
"I'll b-be fine. I j-just need to be alone for a bit."  
"Okay." Chouji said, "But text me when you get home alright?"  
"I-I will... don't worry."

* * *

Well hello there again. Did you enjoy the chapter? I damn well hope so. Erm, I've got ideas for the next chapter noted down already... unlike previous chapters I haven't already finished planning it out or even started writing it down. Oh dear right? So that means my updates will be less on the dot- Monday morning/night like I was so happily able to manage. Constructive Crit. as always you wonderful people who have given my OVER 100 REVIEWS! WOOO! This is my first time... So happy- words cannot convey the happiness I felt this afternoon when I logged on to my hotmail account to find shitloads of reviews. I love you ALL!


	15. Chapter 15

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

Hey, so I'm back to updating on the monday- HOW EXCITE! Tar-te-tumtum. I am going to end this soon methinks. Definately going to end this soon, the final standing up of Hinata the possible coupling of NaruTen/NejiTen (undecided atm), the final outcome for them bitches Sakura and Karin. Maybe one or two episodes. Either way, I'm just happy you guys enjoyed it so much that I've recieved over 100 reviews and many alerts and faves, it's really inspired me to write and publish stuff on here again.

Hmm... there may be questions about my characterization of Tenten... ask them and they shall be answered next chapter like when I reached the Big One Oh.

* * *

Tenten had just finished packing her suitcase and sighed. The three of them were leaving in about two hours so that they'd be settled when it was time for their classes to start again.  
"You know a nice host would help their guests." she said to Hanabi who was watching her from the top bunk.  
"Who said I was a nice host? That's Hinata."  
"Yeah, whatever."  
"Are you going out with Naruto?" The younger brunette asked, "Because he's really dense- he probably won't even know if you are."  
"Well we aren't."  
"Well what are you then?" Why was Hanabi being so persistent?  
"I dunno, friends with benefits or something."  
"I'm twelve; you're going to have to do a little more explaining." Tenten pursed her lips in mock-thought as she stared at the younger girl.  
"... If I remember right... I'm pretty sure you are the Hyuuga whose mind is _always_ in the gutter. I think you know what 'friends with benefits' means." Hanabi pouted.  
"Not fair. No one tells me stuff."  
"You're too young!" Tenten sang in response. "Besides... why do you wanna talk about those sorts of things? Go play with your Barbie dolls or something."  
"I don't have Barbie dolls." Tenten pointed to the chest in the corner of Hanabi's room.  
"So what's in that then? Seriously, I have _seen_ you running to hide them when people come in here."  
"What-! NO! I DON'T PLAY WITH BARBIE DOLLS! THAT'S SO CHILDISH!" Hanabi shot up so fast that her head hit the ceiling with a loud bump. Tenten discreetly giggled, oh how fast the young were trying to grow up. Had she ever been like that? Nah- she was a total tomboy unless she was on the pull.  
"Of _course._.. Well, tell Hinata when she comes back from her date with Sasuke to call me alright?"  
"Yeah, sure whatever."  
"And try to keep your mind out of the gutter... unless you're teasing Hinata." Hanabi paused from rubbing her forehead with an evil glint in her eyes.  
"Next time I'm gonna see if I can make her faint." Tenten gave her sign of approval- a thumbs up. What harm could a bit of friendly family banter do?

.

Two days later Tenten recieved a text from Naruto. It actually woke her up from a powernap in the main room of the apartment she shared with Neji and Lee, she had no classes that day and was bored anyway- Neji and Lee were off at their lectures. It was a hot day in their student apartment, Tenten had decided that day to do nothing but lounge about watching bad daytime televsion like the Jeremey Kyle show and Jerry Springer in a pair of shorts and a string vest. Her phone vibrated on the coffee table on top of the paper television guide.

'Yo, where u live agn? x'  
_18th floor 3rd apartment buildin on campus. y?_  
'Cn I come ovr?'  
_Go 4 it._

A half hour later Naruto turned up with his white helmet under his arm.  
"Hey."  
"Hey. Come in..." She stepped to the side and let him in. "Sorry it's such a mess but Neji's the only clean freak here and he mostly stays in his room."  
"That's cool, it's cleaner than my room." He joked. The pair of them sat down on the loveseat in front of the television, Tenten's bare legs brushed against the fabric of his jeans as she pulled them up and under her. "You alright?"  
"Yeah... it's just that well... I know we've done... _stuff _but I still kind of like someone." Tenten sighed and leant to rest her head on his shoulder.  
"Me too. He doesn't even notice me..." So it looked as though they were both in the same boat, each trying to replace someone that they emotionally pined after with physical pleasure. That's what was going on here, satisfying the flesh and hormones that raged around their pubescent bodies.  
"Meh. Crushes suck." the brunette nodded in response."You are still hot though." He muttered, "I'm not trying to say you aren't."  
"You too. So... Maybe we should just be 'friends with benefits'?"  
"That could we get to cash in the benefits now?"  
"We could... but not in the front room. Neji or Lee might walk in." The pair of them headed to Tenten's room with grins on their faces and their hands intertwined. Naruto left his helmet on the loveseat- its not like that was the sort of protection they were going to need right now.

.

Neji walked in to an apartment filled with loud music- no doubt coming from Tenten's room. She didn't have any classes today-_lucky_. He had just had his brain placed in front of him and witnessed it being repeatedly raped analy with something hard and sandpapery without lube by the law lecture. The notes he took made little to no sense- maybe he should have spent some time of his vacation studying his previous notes? Either way, he had to do some serious revision and he wouldn't be able to do that with 'Whatever you like' on full blast. When he got to Tenten's door he heard giggling.  
"Oh my God I can't move!" he heard her say, he opened the door in front of him and was stunned to find Tenten's naked torso quivering above her duvet while she sighed contentedly. Tanned arms wrapped around her waist as she gasped. A blond head of hair came to level with her own and they started kissing. It was that Naruto-boy. What the hell was he doing in here? With Tenten? Like _THAT!_  
"Tenten!" Her head whipped around instantly, she pulled the duvet to cover her chest and threw a pillow in his direction.  
"NEJI, WHAT THE FUCK? GET OUT!" He shut the door, just as well, the second he did he heard a thud against it- Tenten had always had great aim. Well... this would now make things more awkward.

.

Fifteen minutes later Tenten walked out of her room to get Naruto's helmet that was left on the chair. She walked right past Neji and didn't bat an eyelid as she shoved right past him, nearly slamming him into the table to hand over the white helmet to the stupid idiot with the blond hair.  
"Sorry about that." She told him. The boy blushed and headed out of the apartment silently. "Thanks for ruining the mood." She hissed back at Neji.  
"You're cheapening yourself. Naruto _fucking _Uzumaki?"  
"Why does it matter to you what I do with guys? It's not like you're the Holy Virgin Mother Mary."  
"He's two years younger than you!"  
"So!"  
"IT'S PERVERSE!"  
"It's /sex/ Neji. Everyone has needs- why the fuck where you watching us? _That_ is perverse."  
"I came to ask you to turn down your music."  
"And you couldn't knock?"  
"Like you'd hear me over the fucking song and your moaning." With that Tenten stormed off to the kitchen, the music was off; he was in a bad mood which meant that he would study a hell of a lot easier. Neji left for his own bedroom, trying to get the image of Tenten having sex with some stupid adolescent boy who used to be the romantic interest of his younger cousin out of his head.

.

Stupid Neji. How dare he? _Cheapening_ myself? So if he whores around it's totally fine but if I so much as sleep with one guy I am cheap? I fumed around the kitchen just opening and shutting the draws and cupboards- I really just need to SLAM things here! UGH! Why do I even like him- he's such a pompous ASS. When I opened the fridge I found a packet of chicken thighs and a carton of OJ. We really needed to go grocery shopping. I knew we had rice in a cupboard somewhere... and I got to use the knife if I wanted to cut the chicken thigh into smaller bits. I'd make a stew. Fuck Neji. This'll be for Lee.

.

While Neji focused on trying to decipher and therefore re-write his notes from his earlier lecture and as Tenten was absorbed in getting as much of her frustration out on the chicken with a _very_ pointy knife. Lee strolled in glistening of sweat from his daily gym session after lectures.  
"I'm home friends!"  
"Hi Lee." Tenten muttered from the kitchen. Sounds of splashing water later it appeared that Tenten was washing the chicken. Ooh a meal! He'd have to shower first but then he would help her- no doubt Neji would have made some sort of remark that this was where Tenten belonged- Lee knew better than to keep is friend in a room with pointy objects that could be used as weapons.

Lee immerged from the shower feeling as fresh as a daisy. When he got to the kitchen Tenten had already started up the fire on their small oven for a stew.  
"Would you like some help?"  
"Yes please... c-could you... put the rice on?" Tenten wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand as she pointed over to the box of unboiled rice. He washed and drained it in a small pot occasionally looking over towards his usually cheery friend. She was crying- well, she sounded like she was; there were no tears coming out of her eyes but the redness of her eyeballs indicated that she had been.  
"Tenten... what's wrong?"  
"Neji is an ass." He should have known this involved Neji, if all was not well in their friendship trio it was normally due to a fight between Neji and Tenten. Both sides were too proud to talk to each other about it but Tenten would cry to him and Neji would complain like a bitch. Lee filled the pot with boiling water and placed it on the stove. Tenten whispered a 'Thank you.' as she turned on the grill.

.

Tenten had been cooking, that much was obvious, Neji could smell stewed chicken. He glanced at the notes he had typed up- or rather attempted to on the net book his Uncle gave him when he stared University a year ago. He'd put enough time and effort into his schoolwork. Lee had arrived home about half an hour ago; no doubt he was sitting in the front room relaxing after the intense gym session Lee took part in everyday. The Hyuuga's stomach rumbled... shit; the smell was making him hungry. A knock sounded at the door. He opened it.  
"Lee. What?"  
"Tenten's upset... what happened?"  
"I walked in on her and her boy-toy _by accident_, and she threw a bitch fit."  
"Oh... well she seems pretty upset..."  
"Why? It's not like she's the one mentally scarred here." Neji protested. He threw a scrunched up ball of paper at the bin in the corner of his room. Lee walked into the Hyuuga's room and the two of them sat opposite each other.  
"Tenten thinks highly of you... I think you should talk to her."  
"Don't need to. She's got a boyfriend, she can cry to him." The look Lee gave him was full of confusion. "Oh you didn't know? Well now we both do."

.

When Lee came back to the kitchen Tenten had just finished checking on the stew. It was finished. While he was aware the brunette girl had decided to go out.  
"I'm going to go see Hinata, I'll get the train so don't worry." Lee got two bowls out of the cupboard and sorted himself out some food.  
"Are you sure?"  
"Well yeah... I have my Oyster card, we can go out for something, and I just don't want to be near Neji right now." She rifled through her wardrobe looking for a casual outfit, a pair of jeans and a T-shirt would be all she needed, maybe a jacket, she might have to stay out for a while longer. Why did Neji's words hurt her more than anything else in the world? And why did he seem to be the only person to not realize that?

The door slammed behind Neji and he made a bee-line for the kitchen. He was hungry as hell. And now Tenten couldn't prove herself an obstacle in front of his food. Stew chicken and rice. Awesome. About half of the rice in the pot was already taken out; no doubt it was Lee who was like an endless pit of disposal of food. Neji took the other half for himself and poured the stew on the top. Looked good, smelt good... tasted decent. He'd gone through enough already today, maybe he just needed to go on Call of Duty and kill some newbies? After he ate, that's what he'd do. Lee was spread out across the sofa shoveling food into his mouth like he hadn't eaten in years. The TV was on, Simpsons reruns. Seriously... entertainment failed when you were a student, half of them couldn't afford to pay bills for more than the basic free view channels, good stuff rarely ever appeared on those as it was.  
"Seen this one about fifteen times." Neji said.  
"Nothing else is on."  
"Where'd Tenten go?"  
"Out. She's meeting up with Hinata."  
"WHY?"  
"I don't know, your cousin's like her only girl friend... maybe they need girl talk or something."  
"Hinata and Tenten aren't the type to gossip."  
"But- no, I won't say it."  
"Say what?"  
"Forget it, it's not important for you to hear."  
"Then why bring it up in the first place?"  
"I wasn't thinking."  
"You think?" Neji joked, he scooped up the last of his meal with a spoon and placed it in his mouth. "This room is filthy. You should clean it."  
"Why me?"  
"I don't spend as much time out here as you and Tenten, look there's fucking wrappers and clothes everywhere."  
"You live here too. And you're the neat freak."  
"You and Tenten can do it. I wash my hands of this room."  
"Like you 'washed your hands' of Tenten?" Lee sneered.

Lee'd never done that before. Neji couldn't believe it, normally if Lee was making a stand it would be overly flamboyant and so he'd never be taken seriously.  
"I never said that."  
"You're acting like it. You know she considers your opinion over everyone else's and then you tell her she's 'cheapening' herself."  
"Well she was. What gives her the right to kiss me and then go sleep with that idiot boy who, if I remember correctly was scraping passes in all of his classes!"  
"You and Tenten have never kissed..." Lee said, "Forget it anyway... I think I should stay out of this one." On the rare occasion that Tenten and Neji were the ones who'd had a falling out, Lee had always been the one to push them to get their friendship off of the rocks again. The two of them were two stubborn to do so otherwise. Neji diverted his attention to the TV while Lee went to the kitchen to dump his wares in the sink shaking his head. The front door opened and Neji saw Tenten from the corner of his eye heading towards him. He was about to initiate conversation but she just picked up her phone from the coffee table and went for the door again.

"Lee I just came back for my phone, if anything happens I'll call you." she called. So he was being replaced by Lee huh? Well two can play that childish game.  
"Lee let's go out to the movies tonight. I'll pay." he called out. Tenten glared at him while Lee popped his head out of the kitchen doorway.  
"Maybe later. I have to finish some things in my room." Tenten smirked at Neji and he scowled back at her. She won this round. "See you later Tenten."  
"Bye Lee." She sang before leaving yet again, the door closed with a harder slam than before. She was going to break the door if she kept closing it like that. Neji sighed, this was definitely a lot more complicated than his fights with Lee, they were playful almost, and why did fights with Tenten always have to be so damn serious? Everything always changed and got colder when she was mad at him, he'd been around her since he was 3, he'd been friends with her since he was 12, she was a big constant happy go lucky part of his life and she always won their fights. He was normally useless when it came to her, but not this time. This time he'd make her see it _his_ way.

.

Tenten called Hinata while she was halfway to the station where she'd eventually get off of the train. The younger girl answered her phone almost at once.

"Hey Hina."  
_H-hello. Tenten, how are you?_  
"Pretty shitty to be honest... can we meet up and talk in the park or something?"  
_Yeah... I- shall I m-meet you at...?_  
"I'm on the train, so... by Cineworld in half an hour?"  
_O-okay... I'll see you t-there._

They reached another station, commuters got off and on the train from the platform, one of the people who got on she recognized as Sakura- the pink hair made her stand out from a mile away, the pink haired teenager was with another girl with equally outrageous red hair- it was pure scarlet. They were both wearing tight clothes and carried bags from various shops in their hands. Tenten thought about greeting the girl, but decided against it, they'd met... what? Three times since Tenten left for University, not worth it. Sakura sat next to the other redhead in the seat in front of Tenten's- she hadn't even been noticed.

"So that idiot Naruto doesn't like you anymore huh?" The other red-head cheered, "a shame... he was _really_ useful in getting to Sasuke."  
"Yeah but he likes that weirdo girl I told you about before. Better her than me. I really am not missing his chattering." Sakura gloated, "Seriously, Naruto being snatched up by a cougar is the best thing that's ever happened to me Karin." Hn. Tenten decided that she didn't like the Sakura person... no one should treat the person who liked them like a slave or something. Karin and Sakura laughed together.  
"Wait- so she can't get guys her own age?"  
"I guess not."  
"Major L-O-Ls. Some Uni people are _so_ sad."  
"Tell me about it."  
"Hn... So like, Sasuke. What's going on there?"  
"Well, Naruto grassed like the idiot he is, and Hinata knows _everything_ so we can't even trick her or nothing."  
"Yeah, stupid Suigetsu said he had better things to do than spy on her for me too." Karin pouted, "What's so great about her anyway? Other than her boobs she's got nothing to offer."  
"I bet they're fake... Her dad is rich after all."  
"That's probably true. No one has boobs that big, like, naturally. Everyone knows that guys _hate_ girls with fake boobs anyway. They just don't feel the same." The conversation was getting a little too much for Tenten to handle, she was already angry at Neji, but Sakura and Karin's bitching about Hinata was really going to push her off of the edge. She really didn't want to loose her temper in a public confined space- too many witnesses and not enough escape routes. Thankfully her stop was mere seconds away. The train was already slowing down as it approached the platform. Tenten got up and headed for the train doors, holding onto the metal poles that were there to support the standees. It opened with a 'whoosh' and she was one of the first people out. Sakura and her friend also got off the train at that point, but Tenten was already by the exit of the station.

.

Hinata would be waiting by the corner at Cineworld. The brunette turned the corner and crossed the road looking for her dark haired friend. Hinata was leaning against the railing that separated the road from the pavement, she was in a jean miniskirt with her worker boots, a pink corduroy jacket and a pale lime green V-neck T-shirt.  
"A-ah Tenten!" she exclaimed as she saw her friend walk closer towards her. "What's h-happened? Y-you look awful- I mean... you look sad, t-there's streaks down your chin a-and everything." It was just as Tenten was about to answer that her stomach growled.  
"Shit... I really should've eaten before I left."  
"... I know a n-new Chinese place opened f-further up..." Tenten loved Chinese food- in fact, she ate _something_ Chinese at least once a week. It was her happy food. Troubles with Neji and the two artificial girls on the train aside, she bounded after Hinata with the idea of a delicious sweet and sour meal on her mind.

They had to wait five minutes to get a seat, even then, they were sat in a crowded area where they could barely hear each other, let alone their waiter. He was tall with platinum hair and piercing eyes. Hinata stiffened as he approached their table.  
"Oh hey Hinata."  
"Hello S-Suigetsu."  
"What can I get you and your lovely friend?" Tenten glanced above her menu across to Hinata.  
"I don't think we're ready to order yet." the brunette smiled, Suigetsu told them he'd be back in a few moments to see if they were ready to order yet.

"What was that about Hina?"  
"I-ah... I didn't know he worked h-here..."  
"Why's it bugging you? Did he do something to you?" Hinata sadly looked down at her menu.  
"I-I thought he was a friend... then l-last Saturday... I f-found out otherwise." Hinata paused as Suigetsu returned.

"What drinks can I get ya'?"  
"Two Lemonades please." Tenten replied, "And a bowl of prawn crackers." Suigetsu scribbled down the order on a small black notepad with yellow pages. He then went onwards to the kitchen to get their drinks and starter.

"I-it's like..." Hinata continued, "L-like all of the n-new friends I made this term w-were plotting against me o-or something..."  
"Then please don't tell me that Sakura-bitch was one of them... she was on my train earlier... I wanted to punch her." Tenten growled, "Oh look, here they walk in now." Hinata turned around in her seat to face the door, sure enough Sakura and Karin had just walked in, Suigetsu greeted them at the door at sat them at the only other available table- unfortunately, it was two tables away from Hinata and Tenten, the girls had a stare down before Karin sat down smugly and Sakura followed behind her.  
"M-maybe we should leave..." Hinata suggested. Tenten looked at her with surprise.  
"You are not serious?" She began, "Don't you know that you're giving those artificial sluts what they want by doing that? No- we are going to stay and enjoy this Chinese food." The brunette pulled over a waiter "Hi, we're ready to order now." She chirped, "I ll have the sweet and sour chicken with egg fried rice please."  
"Aah, yes, and you?"  
"Seafood noodle soup..." Hinata whispered.  
"Okay...So: One sweet and sour chicken with egg fry-rice and one seafood noodle soup?" The two girls nodded and the waiter left, only to reappear from the kitchen moments later with Tenten's meal. Being a polite-when it came to food- person, Tenten waited until Hinata's meal arrived before breaking the wooden chopsticks and going to town on the dish.  
"So... Sasuke, hm?" Hinata blushed and put down her chopsticks.  
"I think... I might l-like him." Tenten smirked knowingly.  
"So how was the _da~te_?"  
"It w-was good..."  
"I know now how annoyed Hanabi felt when I didn't talk in further detail."

.

The rest of the meal was relatively quiet- crowd wise- Hinata had even forgotten that Sakura and Karin where seated so close to them and was definitely enjoying the female company.  
"I-it's l-like I've b-been hanging out with too m-many guys."  
"Well... coming from someone who's only friends on campus are a couple of guys- get some girl friends... guys are okay to an extent." Two tables across Karin scoffed at them. Seeing as the two tables that separated them were now vacated it was very obvious. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know we invited two plastic bitches into our conversation." Tenten tapped her head, "Ah but of _course_ two charming ladies such as yourselves have the right to drop in anytime and spread bullshit, though I do warn you I am slightly allergic to bullshit and I might twitch and accidently break the nose your daddy bought you." Karin and Tenten engaged in a stare down, the red head 'humph'ed and asked Suigetsu for the bill. Hinata stared in wonderment as the girls walked out of the door.

"H-how?" Her companion shrugged.  
"What I get for hanging with Neji I guess..."  
"And I-I go to school w-with them..." Tenten patted Hinata on the head.  
"Not to worry, you've got what? Three days to toughen up? If I didn't have classes I'd help..."  
"I-I'll see what I can do." Hinata promised with a confident nod- She was going to do it, she'd be able to face the girls like Karin and Sakura come Monday morning. After a desert of chocolate ice-cream the two girls walked towards Hinata's house.

.

"Y-you really didn't have t-to walk all the way h-here, the train station's all the way b-back there." Tenten shrugged.  
"I've got the time, besides, I know you hate it when we go all protective on you but I just wanted to make sure you got home safe."  
"T-text me when you get back?"  
"If you don't hear anything from me it probably means I've murdered Neji and skipped off to France or something." Tenten joked. She backed away from the Hyuuga home, "and remember- you /do/ know martial arts!" Hinata smiled and entered her house, Hanabi was at the stairs.  
"Boo. You weren't blushing- I take it that you didn't go out on a date with _Saaaaskay_."  
"T-Tenten and I w-went for Chinese."  
"You went out with Twenty and didn't tell me? Hina, you're mean!" Hanabi pouted, "I'm going to tell all your little friends just how mean you are." she joked. Like anyone would believe Hinata had a mean bone in her body.

.

Tenten arrived home with her mood uplifted. Neji was sprawled across the couch with a console control in his hands while the TV blasted out audio from another war game.  
"Your cousin really needs to toughen up." she told him before she headed for her room. That caught his attention. He turned off the console and followed her.  
"What do you mean?"  
"She goes to school with a bunch of bitches." she replied at her bedroom door, she was halfway done pulling off her jacket when she noticed his hands at either side of her body. "What are you doing?"  
"Well I need more information than that."  
"Some girls have been giving her trouble since she started seeing Sasuke. No big deal- I went through it when I made friends with you... _God knows why_." she whispered the last part but Neji still heard it.  
"Hinata isn't you. I'm going over there and I'm-" He was pulled back by Tenten's firm grip.  
"Neji how is she ever gonna be prepared for the real world if you keep sheltering her like that? Let her stand up for herself." The Hyuuga stood out in the hallway, Tenten retreated to her room and immerged five minutes later with her toiletries bag and a towel around her neck. "What? I can't take a shower now? Surely a shower isn't 'cheapening'."  
"Tenten about that-" Neji stammered with a hand flowing through his dark locks.  
"You can talk to me about that when I'm not angry with you then. The dishes and cooking are your duties for the next two weeks." Tenten then proceeded to the shower, Neji decided to go into her room and wait for her, he'd make her not be mad at him anymore.

A full stomach and being clean as a whistle brought a sense of fulfillment to Tenten's day, she tied her wet hair up and headed for her bedroom kitted out in some wooly pajamas. Neji was seated at her bed, she was surprised he'd even touched her room due to his reaction the day earlier... she then noticed that her sheets had been changed since she left the room. Maybe it had affected him...  
"What?" Neji grinned.  
"I can't take you seriously in those pajamas."  
"Just leave my room already, I'm tired and have class tomorrow morning." She shoved him to one side of her bed and got under the covers. Neji's weight pressed down on the bed. "I'm serious. Shoo."  
"Look, sorry about what I said... and did earlier."  
"Damn straight you are. Next time you'll knock then."  
"I don't want there to be a 'next time' with you and Naruto."  
"It's not really your decision Neji..." she replied burying herself further into her bed covers.  
"Do you remember what happened on Friday?"  
"Not a lot, please don't tell me that alcohol is also bad for my prim and proper image."  
"So... you don't remember what happened?"  
"Between?" Neji gave her a skeptical look and shock drowned her face, "Something happened between _us_?" Neji confirmed her question with a nod. "Well what then?"  
"You kissed me." disbelief then took over her face, "Then you said you loved me... Maybe I misread the signals or something... It was just like; why'd you say and do that then sleep with _that_." he spat.  
"Let me get this straight- _I_. Kissed. _You_?" Tenten buried her head in her hands. "God this explains how freaking weird you were acting."  
"You really don't remember?"  
"Not a thing past leaving Sasuke's house."  
"I'll help you remember then." He said huskily. Tenten blushed, why'd he have to use that tone of voice? He pulled her down so that she was facing him on the bed. "You turned to me and kissed me like-" He planted a soft one on her stunned pink lips that soon deepened.  
"I think I'd remember that." she said breathlessly.  
"It wasn't exactly like that but you get the idea." Neji teased. "Well, seeing as you're still angry at me I think it's best I leave now." Tenten glared after him, after a kiss like that he was just going to leave her.  
"Neji you prick!" For the second time that day, Tenten hurled a pillow at Neji as he flew out of the door.

* * *

I have no further comments to make for this chapter... erm. Constructive crit. Let loose.


	16. Chapter 16

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

South Korea is 9+ hours of GMT(Greenwich Mean Time) which is where the story is set. Information from Google- a company that could never lie to me. This will be the final chapter methinks. Then... an Epiologue. Certain things will be slightly concluded (I hope) others... not so much. The Epiologue is already started so not much of a worry over the long-ness of the absence of new chapters that was encountered on this chapter. On to the review/questions!

**Moon-Forest** HIII! I never did bring up the idea of making a sequel... but since your review I've been thinking about writing one. I'm pretty sure that it would be a Tenten based fic however, something like; 'They Made Me Choose' because I don't think that with this story so close to completion that there'd be enough time/space to resolve everything I want to. Also because then it wouldn't be just another side-story but a whole thing in itself.

**Grim-Rush** Ahh, it's pretty much the same as the answer I gave to **Moon-Forest, **unless you were asking when I update; in that case I try to do a weekly Monday thing. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't, but if I have a chapter finished it goes up either on the same day (if I haven't already updated) or the next Monday which is usually the case...

* * *

The past three days had been a sort of torture for Hinata. Trying to get into the mood for school without Ino being there... it was proving to be difficult. Could she really stand to face girls like Karin and Sakura the way that Tenten had managed to? Hanabi knocked at her door.  
"Hinataaah! Hurry up. Dad's giving us a lift!" This would have been the first time since Hanabi entered year seven that the two sisters would make their way to school together. Hanabi was dressed in her 'edited' uniform, meaning her way too short, black, pleated skirt that barely covered two inches below her underwear and a fitted blue blouse with a green necktie that hung loosely underneath her collar, her grey blazer hung over the side of her carrier style schoolbag. Hinata stepped out of the room in the grey pencil skirt she had worn on the Monday of the week before half term, it reminded her of Ino... hell, maybe some of the confidence would rub off onto her. She was wearing a simple short sleeved blouse with a red belt on her waist, because she was meant to wear _some_ sort of jacket she grabbed the nearest grey cardigan and fastened the school badge to its right breast before putting it on.  
"Okay, okay I'm ready." Hanabi was already impatiently tapping her foot at the bottom of the stairs when Hinata flew down them in her red ballet flats, the cardigan that she had pulled on had turned out to be one of her mother's old waterfall styled cardigans from the 80s that appeared to be making its way back on to catwalks. Ino would be so proud of her outfit right now.

But today wasn't for Ino... today, Hinata would show the world what she was made of.

Hiashi had dropped them off around the corner from the school and the sisters walked together until they reached the fork that separated the sixth form area from the lower school. Hanabi skipped off to join her boyfriend and classmates and Hinata went at a much slower pace to her locker, it was early for many of her classmates to be in anyway, good for her because she needed some time to think /how/ exactly she was going to pull this day off. Just as she'd pushed the doors for the sixth form centre open an arm was wrapped around her shoulder.  
"Nice shoes. 'The Fawce' is going to kill you for them." The 'Fawce' was the schools nicknames for the youngest and most attractive female teacher in the school, her name was Miss Fawcet- with a silent 't' so pronounced 'Fawsay', and she taught History. She was also renowned for wearing large heels and for slightly favouring the adoring boys over the female student population. Regularly she would burst into a fit in the hallway because someone had dismissed the school uniform regulations. Ino and the Fawce had been enemies of sorts, the blonde was always violating the code- one of the rules being that shoes had to be black.  
"S-she is isn't s-she..." Suddenly instead of worrying over how she was going to make her voice heard she was worrying about the punishment she was likely to get for malpractice. She followed the dark haired Sasuke to a table where his friends were sitting and chatting about the week they'd had off.

"- so then right as we're both gonna..._ y'know_, her roommate walks in. Dude I was so out of there!" she heard Naruto exclaim. Kiba and Sai were doubled over laughing and even Sasuke was smirking. Hn, that's curious, sounds like what Tenten had told her ab- Wait. Naruto and Tenten had- Neji walked in? Hinata snapped out of her own imaginary world so fast.  
"Y-you what my cousin's best f-friend!" The embarrassment that she supposed flowed through Neji's veins at the time appeared to flow through her.  
"Oh hey Hinata-" the blond nervously giggled. "Didn't see you there..."  
"Why're y-you telling them a-about what happened?"  
"They're my best friends, we tell each other everything. Like, how Sai's been trying to sleep with his neighbour's step-kid or how Kiba's sister started going out with some guy in our year..." Naruto's eyes narrowed with slight hints of evil glimmering through the irises, "Or how Sasuke keeps getting wet dreams about you." The couple both ended up blushing- for once, Sasuke was as red as a tomato, but he beat his friend to near unconsciousness. They were a rowdy bunch of idiots that's for sure. She couldn't spend the rest of the school year hanging out with men all of the time. Tenten was right, she needed a female companion.  
"I-ah." Hinata struggled to find her voice due to the shock, the mental image of what she imagined Sasuke had dreamt of doing to her was filling her head like a virus, infecting each cell of her brain, "I'm g-going to my l-locker." With that she scuttled away through the slightly more crowded centre to where her locker was situated. She could still hear Naruto's whining, Sasuke's cursing and Sai and Kiba's laughter down the hallway.

Waiting for her was her tubby chum. "C-Chouji!" She said as she was lifted off of the ground by his bear hug.  
"Hinata, you got Skype?"  
"W-what's 'Skype'?"  
"It's this free thing, Ino has it back in Korea, and Shika's just set one up... if we get it we can get free video calls." Free? In sixth form the rule was; if it's free, get one. None of the students liked paying for things that were available online, and it was always awesome when one discovered a new haven of government approved free stuff.  
"H-how do I d-do it?"  
"The school hasn't blocked it so we can make you an account. C'mon let's go it take 5 minutes!" Hinata bounded after Chouji as he entered one of the school's computer labs, well... maybe if she got the chance to talk to Ino earlier, she'd be inspired by the more confident girl. Shikamaru was sat at his favourite area of the room- the back corner computer, with this computer, hardly anyone could disturb you, it was the last of its row and column and so hid his sleeping pattern from the teachers during his ICT and Critical Thinking classes.

.

Sakura strolled in to form time with the confidence she had been lacking for the better half of the last term, it was a new page. Hell, even Karin was gladly chattering amongst the friends who had forsaken her earlier for the extreme actions she took the fall for. The red head had turned around to talk to another girl with long dark hair tied in an extremely low ponytail down her back.  
"First it was about her dating Sasuke... but like, now I really don't care. It's just fun messing with her y'know. She doesn't tell anyone anything." Sakura had already heard that view from her friend, it bothered her a little, but Karin was the sort of person you'd want on your side no matter what. "Oh hey bitch, Tell Kin over here what happened the other day." Karin ordered. Sakura sat on the desk with her feet in the aisle of the classroom turning to Kin.  
"We ran into her and her friend- the one who for some reason likes _Naruto_-"  
"Are you serious? _Naruto Uzumaki_? But he's like... useless." Kin interrupted.  
"_I know!_ But she was really bitchy to us, we were just eating and suddenly she just turns like she has the right to judge us."  
"So we're going to get her back right?" Karin absently suggested examining her red nails. "Or get Hinata back instead, she just let her talk to us like that." Kin looked between the pair, Karin looked dead set on attacking the Hyuuga girl, Sakura however seemed nervous. The dark haired girl was staying out of this one, she fancied Sasuke, if there was a shred of hope that he might like her and dump his current girlfriend for her it would be ripped from her if she got involved with this little plot.  
"Yeah but- she didn't really do anything." Karin tossed her hair indifferently.  
"She didn't need to. I'm bored, let s figure out what we wanna do."

.

Rolling over onto her side Tenten managed to fall off of the edge of her bed- she rubbed her head and checked her surroundings- okay, not her room but the front room, that would explain why she fell of her replacement 'bed'- the couch's seats were barely wide enough to curl up on. Picking herself up she headed for the bathroom, walking extra cautiously as she passed Neji's room. The past three days he had taken to cornering her when they were alone in the apartment and marking her with his mouth. She had so many love bites on her neck, she never needed concealer before, a love bite would have just been covered by a plaster but Neji left far too many for a simple plaster to hide. The brunette opened the bathroom door and headed towards the sink, make up from the night before was still on, her lipstick had still left a faint stain on her pouted lips and she had severe panda eyes. She turned on the water at the sink and grabbed a flannel- she should probably invest in some make up remover pads because when her face was finally clean the flannel's material was grubby with 'waterproof' labelled make up. Thinking to grab her notepad for class in a few hours and heading out before Neji and Lee woke up she tiptoed to her room.

Neji was waiting for her by the door- boy was she glad she hadn't taken off her outfit and given him more skin to work with.  
"Good morning..."  
"Hi..."  
"Have fun last night?" he asked jealously.  
"Yeah actually, went clubbing with Naru-"  
"I thought you weren't going to see him anymore."  
"Neji... just because you don't like anyone who shows a teeny bit of interest in me doesn't mean that I'm going to follow your orders." She bit back. She entered and he followed after her- she'd given up on trying to keep him out, he was a little to reflexive to her actions.  
"That's not the only reason I don't want you to see him." he whispered into her ear. Since their kiss earlier on he'd been making advances, she wasn't sure if it was just to keep her away from Naruto or actual genuine infatuation /love for her. Tenten tensed as his lips 'accidently' brushed against her earlobe.  
"Stop playing with me." she said, "You're such a tease." She turned around to glare at him, not that it made that much of a difference, she just seemed to be amusing him with her reactions. When he got her to kiss him back during his ambushes he'd smirk against her lips then head out as though nothing was happening, when she was being stubborn so as not to let the ambush occur in the first place he'd coerce her into letting her defences slip and then go in for the seductive kill. He stole another kiss from her that left her surprised when she should have been used to it... damn those butterflies fluttering around her stomach and the blush on her cheeks.  
"When you choose then I'll stop." he said exiting the room triumphantly.  
"What do you mean choose- oh..."

.

When Ino turned on the laptop a message from Skype popped up at the side of her screen. Her new room was smaller than what she was used to, but it was a helluva lot cosier. Her mum's new husband apparently had a two year old son who's existence had been hidden from her. The moment Ino saw him at the airport she fell in love with him- always the cute chubby cheeked, dark-haired ones that drew her in. Right now he was playing with some Lego bricks on her bed. Well, she could show off her new little brother to her friend/boyfriend... depending on which lovely person wanted to start a conversation.  
"_Chang-su come say hello to my friends_." she said in Korean, the toddler looked up at his new older sister and shuffled across the bed and right into her lap. The webcam imbedded at the top of her laptop flashed red as it turned on. She was greeted by two of her closest friends and her boyfriend all crowding the screen. It had just gone four- Ino had literally just walked into the front door mere minutes ago. She was in her new school uniform, she felt like she belonged in some girly manga or anime with the Sailor Moon type bow and knee length navy blue skirt. Like it wasn't harsh enough standing out being the new kid in the middle of term she also looked completely different to everyone in her class, they all had dark hair and eyes while she strode in with blonde locks and naturally blue eyes. Boys were lining up in order to befriend the 'pretty foreigner' and the girls didn't like her too much, gossiping that her hair and eye colour were faked so that she'd get attention. The familiar faces were more than welcome after another day of school-drama.

**Hey Ino, who's the midget?** Shikamaru asked, **He's not replacing be right?**  
"No way- this is my baby brother Chang-su. _Chang-su do you wanna wave to my friends?_" The young boy complied and Ino could see Hinata's heart melt.  
I-Ino, h-he's so cute!  
"Tell me something I don't know. But enough, enough- How come you guys are on Skype at school?"  
_Shikamaru rigged his fave computer._ Chouji explained, Ino blew a kiss to them and Chang-su mimicked her. _He actually is really cute._  
**Yeah like your uniform. Is there some fantasy you have been living without informing me?** Shikamaru teased, Hinata turned pink and Chouji just laughed at the girls' flustered expressions.  
"Don't be an idiot. I just came back from school." She pouted, "If there's one thing I miss more than you guys it's the awesome of a school has no uniform."  
**But there is a code...**  
"Don't ruin my lovely nostalgia Shika. but yeah... the bell should be ringing soon right?" Sure enough the bell did ring on the other side of the computer. Hinata and Chouji looked disappointed, this was really a Shika-Ino conversation. Then again, the couple hadn't seen each other in about a week and they were so used to being together almost everyday.  
_We all got Skype now, so uh, I guess we'll see you after school? _Chouji asked, Ino nodded, it would be 8PM then, and she'd be out of her horrid uniform and into something she actually enjoyed wearing.  
"Even Hinata?" the girl on the other side nodded. "Awesome- we will talk about you and Sasuke ne~?"  
O-okay... uh, I m-miss you.  
"Me too! Ugh, I cannot wait to come visit you guys... I'll bring Chang-su with me of course." Ino chirped as she nuzzled the chubby cheeks with her own. Shikamaru waved goodbye and Chouji and Hinata formed a little heart shape with their hands before they said 'Goodbye' and the screen went blank. _"Ne~ Chang-su, what do you want to play with your big sister_?" She asked the boy. He looked up at her with his big dark eyes. His little fists pumped in the air.  
"_Hide and Seek_!"  
_"Okay, you hide first, and I'll come and find you_." Chang-su leapt off her lap with a giggle and Ino covered her eyes with her hands. She counted to one hundred before removing them and starting to look for the little kid that was making her stay in Korea that much bearable.

.

After the trio had said goodbye they all headed to the respective classes; Chouji to Economics, Shikamaru to Critical Thinking and Hinata to double Biology. On her way she passed a girl she'd never met before, she had short brown hair and deep chocolate eyes, the girl was holding onto a piece of paper and looked completely lost, she spotted Hinata and bounded towards her.  
"Ah, hello, do you know the way to S10? I'm new here and all the other people I've asked kind of just walked past me."  
"Y-yeah, I can take you there... It's o-on the way t-to my lesson."  
"Thanks!" The girl beamed. She stuck out her hand, Hinata noticed the pale pink polish on her nails sparkling and the silver ring on her left ring finger. "I'm Matsuri. Just started this term." Hinata took her hand.  
"I'm H-Hinata." She smiled as they shook hands and proceeded down the hallway. Matsuri's class was the one right before her own classroom, it was another science lab. "A-are you going to S10 f-for Biology?"  
"Nope, I'm a Physics, Chemistry and Maths type girl, I haven't chosen a language to do here though... might just take ICT. What about you?"  
"O-oh, I do Biology, P-Philosophy a-and English. I-I take Japanese too but i-it's really just because it's so easy."  
"_Soudesune_." Matsuri smiled, "That and _Konichiwa_ are my two Japanese words."  
"'Hello' and 'Is that so'?" Hinata giggled, "I-I'm sure you could h-have a conversation with t-those." They were halfway down the corridor when Sasuke walked past them going in the opposite direction. Matsuri openly stared at him, taking in his model-like looks and blushing a little.  
"Room change. We're in G23."  
"H-how can you d-do dissections i-in G23?" G23 was not a lab but a computer room.  
"Beats me. Seeing as we're not dissecting a heart and lungs, I'm going to skip."  
"B-but-"  
"You'll see me at break, no big deal." He smirked before heading to the sixth form centre, when he was out of earshot Matsuri asked Hinata.  
"Who was _that_?"  
"T-that's Sasuke..."  
"Does he have a girlfriend?"  
"Yes." Hinata spat out defensively, it shocked her, she'd never been so possessive of Sasuke before. Matsuri whistled.  
"That girl is _lucky_. He is one sexy beast..."  
"T-thanks." she said quietly. Matsuri looked at her bug eyed.  
"Get in there!" she finally exclaimed, playfully she punched the other girl on the arm, "I have someone I like from my old school anyway." She raised her hands to cup her cheeks and sighed contentedly. "And he picks me up after school every day!" she squealed.  
"Um... i-is he your boyfriend?"  
"_I wish_. Gaara doesn't really like girls..." She observed her companion's distressed face, "Don't worry, he's not into guys either!" she giggled, "I think he's asexual. Just waiting for him to split into two or three red haired, blue eyed, tattooed and pierced teenage heartthrobs." Hinata giggled at the joke. Well this girl was different, if compared to any girl Hinata knew well she'd say this girl was a lot like Tenten. Maybe she was the female friend that Tenten insisted she should have. They finally reached S10.  
"Here's your class."  
"Thanks Hina- it's okay if I call you that right?" Hinata nodded mutely, Matsuri entered the classroom and Hinata turned around to get to the staircase that lead to G23. She could always just say the Fawce had asked her to show someone to class if asked why she was so late. It was only 5 minutes anyway...

.

At break Naruto was heading over to the corner where he, Sai, Kiba and Sasuke usually sat down and pigged out on sausage rolls, Relentless for energy and hash browns. Healthiest breakfast ever in his opinion. He was pulled in to G6 a computer room that was never used because the computers were rubbish and there was never any paper in the printer.  
"Look Naruto, you need to get Hinata to look out." It was Sakura, well that was a shock, didn't she proclaim only a week ago that she was jealous of the girl?  
"Why do you care?"  
"Hey, if she'd done anything more than stealing Sasuke from me I couldn't care less what Karin wanted to do to her, but this time she really didn't do anything." The pink haired girl let the information seep into his brain before she headed out. He grabbed her wrist.  
"Hey Sakura... can we be friends again?" The girl sighed.  
"Not for a long while. You probably wouldn't ever trust me again anyway... Maybe it's best we just stay away from each other."  
"I kinda miss hanging out with you..." Sakura rolled her eyes.  
"And only last week you were angry with me. What are you- bipolar?"  
"Well... I still am angry... but, you've been around me for so long that well..."  
"You're going to have to wait a lot longer Naruto. Why don't you go for the Tenten chick- she seems real defensive of you."  
"She has someone she likes."  
"She's using you?"  
"Nah, it's not like that, we're friends." Sakura seemed to consider something before shaking her head.  
"Whatever. But you didn't hear anything from me." she said breezily as she left the room leaving behind a confused Naruto, ten rubbish computers, one empty printer and a wobbly table.

He shook his head, maybe... hopefully by the end of the year things could be like how they were before this drama happened. He left the room and searched his pockets for change so that he could be a Relentless and a bar of chocolates. In the corner Hinata's group appeared to have joined his, there was also a new girl, he'd never seen her before but she seemed to be having a ball looking through Kiba's phone- no doubt Kiba'd pulled out pictures of his puppy. Akamaru always turned girls to mush. Hinata was seated between Sasuke and Chouji nibbling on what looked like a packet of Love hearts. The school did Love hearts now? Awesome. Forget the chocolate, he knew what he'd be buying.

Hinata burst into a fit of giggles after reading the text of the Love heart in her hand. Matsuri looked over from Kiba's phone and joined in.  
"Hey look, the Love heart is giving you some advice." This piqued Sasuke's attention, he slyly glanced over her shoulder.

**JUST SAY NO**

"You could always just ignore that though." he said with a wink, the whole table burst into laughs. Hinata blushed at his comment, that paired with the conversation she had with Naruto earlier... well, she ought to have been expecting something like that. He_ was_ a teenage boy after all. "Yeah you'd like that wouldn't you?" Sai smirked, he turned to face Hinata, "If he asks to do anything you don't understand... just say no. Seriously, this one's got a mind of filth."  
"Shut up. I'm not the one drawing naked old men." Sasuke defended.  
"It's _art_. Besides, sometimes we get girls too."  
"Ew. Mature clunge. Something I don't need to think about." Kiba exclaimed. He slammed his head on the table and shuddered, Matsuri patted his head like he was a puppy.  
"There there." Shikamaru shook his head amused, well, his parents were always asking him why he didn't make anymore friends. He spotted Naruto heading over with a can of some sort of energy drink. He sipped on the coffee he bought at the beginning of break and made space between him and Sai so that Naruto could pull up.  
"Yo. What's everyone laughing at?"  
"Kiba's reaction to mature clunge." Sai smiled. Naruto lurched.  
"Dude not funny, people are trying to eat here!" the blond took another sip of his energy drink and opened up his own packet of Love hearts. He passed the first one over to Hinata with a wink. She laughed into her palm and handed it over to Sasuke read it suspiciously.  
"'Hot stuff'?" he wrapped his arm around her, "Thanks but I don't eat sweets." While Hinata protested he popped it into her mouth. "Oh and Naruto- the girl over there, Matsuri, stop staring at her like your idiot self." Matsuri waved at the blond boy.  
"Naruto... Uzumaki?"  
"Yeah!" the blond exclaimed, "So you've heard of me then? The rumours are true, I am single." he wiggled his eyebrows and Sasuke smirked at his friend's attempt to being 'smooth'.  
"Right... You know Gaara right?"  
"Yeah. Dude's cool. Do you?"  
"He's only my best friend slash brother!"  
"Slash love interest." Kiba butted in, only to get smacked at the base of his head by the brunette girl.  
"Just because you have a cute puppy doesn't mean you can blurt out other peoples business." she lectured.  
"Awesome! We should hang out some time." The two high fived. Chouji finished his packet of prawn cocktail crisps and was helping Hinata finish her Love hearts. For teenagers they really couldn't get enough of the chalky sweet. The clicking of five inch heels made them all cover their ears, except from Matsuri who was unaware what was about to happen.

"YEAR TWELVE- HEAD TO YOUR LESSONS NOW PLEASE." A small teacher bellowed. The teacher then left the room and the teenagers started clearing out. Shikamaru downed the rest of his coffee even though it burned his throat a little and Naruto followed only to complain of a brain freeze- followed by hyperactivity. He pinched his nose and put on a nasal voice.  
"Yeeyuh twelve, go to your lessons." he mimicked, "My 'Fawce' impression is a 'fawce' to be reckoned with." he joked. Hinata and Matsuri giggled but the other boys shook their heads in disappointment.

.

Karin eyed the corner Hinata sat in suspiciously. Naruto had just emerged from G6 after Sakura, he seemed to be laughing a hell of a lot.  
"What did you talk to the idiot for?" She asked her friend.  
"I told him to put his girlfriend in her place." Sakura lied. Karin nodded.  
"Good, I really don't like her already. So... what should I do to Hinata over there? I don't want her humiliated... I want her _hurt_." Sakura gasped in shock.  
"W-what? You won't get away with something like that."  
"No, but _we_ might. You know how the old git who runs this is so far up your perfect student ass, you take the fall, you'll just get a little suspension."  
"I'm all for pranks but I'm not hurting anyone Karin."  
"Boo, you whore. You're no fun." The red head said, polishing her black wire framed glasses.  
"It's a bit much though... Besides, how am I gonna get into-"  
"Blah, blah, blah. Sakura, the only people who care about your future here, are you and the teachers. You have a whole year to make up for one little mishap."  
"Not doing it." Karin scoffed.  
"God you're such a boring bitch." Karin sneered before she headed outside. "If you find Suigetsu tell him I'm looking for him, yeah."  
"Sure... whatever..." Sakura replied before she was ushered out of the room like the other students by the bellowing voice of the Fawce. Maybe she could persuade Karin to leave Hinata alone... sure it was so that she wouldn't get a bad r sum from the school... and so that Sasuke would see she could be a good person (hopefully one worth dating). She'd need a lot of help for that though, so instead of heading to her next lesson she headed to the computer room that Suigetsu always hung out in.

The pink haired girl took a relieved breath on realising Suigetsu was seated in the computer room.  
"Sup pinkie."  
"Karin wants to mess with Hinata again."  
"Not my problem."  
"Can't you at least talk to her?"  
"No. Juugo and I have figured that if we just let Karin be she'll leave it eventually."  
"What do you mean?... Ignore her?"  
"Ignore her _idea_... after a while she gets bored that you don't listen and gives up." The platinum blond stared at her, "Don't you have a class to go to or something?"  
"Don't you?" she responded.  
"Free period. But seriously leave, I have work to do here."  
"Sorry'ard." she muttered sarcastically before leaving. Suigetsu sighed, Karin _really_ needed a pastime that didn't involve other people... maybe jigsaws- no... she'd go all 'Saw' then.

.

It was in the girls toilet on the second floor of the sixth form centre during the lunch break that Karin made her attack on Hinata. She'd walked in to fix her lip-gloss but they appeared to be the only girls there. She could probably knock the other girl out.  
"Hey ho." She smirked. "Enjoying yourself with Sasuke ne?"  
"K-Karin... Can you l-leave me alone please?" The dark haired girl stuttered. She headed for the door but was blocked by the red head.  
"Hm, let me think about it... How 'bout no?" She pushed the smaller girl backwards further into the bathroom. "No-one's here to help poor ickle Hina, Ino left, no Sasuke here, no Juugo to stop me... You scared yet?"  
"N-no." Hinata said calmly. "Can you m-move, I have f-friends to see. N-not that you'd k-know what its l-like to have r-real friends."  
"Well to get to them you'll have to go through me, lets hope I leave you conscious so you can at least call for help or something." Karin dumped her bag to the side of the door and started towards the other girl. Hinata was a weakling right? She'd be out cold in a few minutes or crying for her mummy like a baby. Hinata however slipped into an unfamiliar pose, Karin who had never had any formal training in martial arts ignored it as a bluff and still aimed her fist at Hinata's head. It was caught swiftly in mid air and twisted behind her back. Hinata was forcing her arm to twist in a way it wasn't supposed to and it was causing Karin great agony. "Let me the fuck go!" The dark haired girl showed no signs of stopping and Karin's arm was slowly pushed into an unnatural angle, Karin howled in pain. "LET THE FUCK GO!"  
"I-I won't until you p-promise to leave me a-alone." Hinata said stubbornly while pushing the arm further up the back of her opponent, "I-if I push t-this any further... I m-might break y-your arm." she noted. Karin cursed.  
"Fuck, fine whatever." the red head hissed, Hinata let her go and headed for the door while she nursed her sore arm. "Bitch." There were red marks on her forearms from the grip.

.

Hanabi raced through the sixth form centre looking for her older sister. This would have been the first time that she was ever in the area as the school liked to separate the older students from the younger ones. She needed to borrow Hinata's phone to call her dad- her phone was dead and being a child of the modern technologic world Hanabi didn't need to _learn_ a number when she could simply put it on her speed dial. She ran into that blond guy who her boyfriend looked up to.  
"Hey- you know where Hinata is?"  
"She went to the bathroom I think..." he replied scratching her head. That was enough for her. She was about to run off when she realised she didn't know where the toilets here were.  
"... Where's that?"  
"Well there's that one over there-" he pointed to a small hallway a little bit behind him, "And the ones upstairs."  
"Thanks." she said before disappearing into the small alcove only to appear seconds later. Naruto seemed to watch her like a circus act. "Am I entertaining you?" she asked. The blond shook his head and pulled his satchel bag further up and heading out of one of the many exits. She reached the second bathroom minutes later just in time to catch her sister leaving it.  
"Hanabi what a-are you doing up here?" "I need to call dad, but my phone is dead..." Hinata sighed and shook her head, she felt through her pockets.  
"A-ah, it's in my bag, y-you want to follow me?" Hanabi was about to when she decided, seeing as she was near a bathroom she might as well go and use it (and compare the lower and upper school toilets).  
"Okay, but I gotta pee." Hinata went to protest Hanabi using the toilets she had just exited but the younger girl was a fast as lightening.

Hanabi stepped into the bathroom. It was definitely a lot cleaner than the lower school toilets but basically followed the same colour scheme. Pink walls, lavender cubicles, sinks on grey marble-styled counters and circular mirrors upon each wall.  
"Not bad..." she muttered to herself, it was then that she noticed a red-haired girl clutching her arm. She didn't take long to realise that the girl was someone Ino had described to her as a 'total bitch' complete with the short skirt, tight blouse and 'hooker heels' that Ino swore the girl always wore. Well Hanabi sure wasn't going to get involved. Fuck that shit. However, she didn't feel comfortable using the toilet while the other girl was there, instead she went towards the sink and splashed her face with cold water. After she dried it on a paper towel she put on some lip balm and prepared to go.  
"The hell are you doing here shrimp?"  
"What does it look like?" Hanabi retorted, so Karin was a moody bitch, "Don't you 6th formers have better things to do than cry on the floor?" Karin's eyes narrowed.  
"Hn."  
"Tch." Hanabi left the room. Hinata was waiting outside nervously. "The girl back there is a bitch." the younger girl said.  
"Y-you shouldn't call people that... e-even if it's true." Hanabi held onto her older sister's hand, something she hadn't done since she could walk by herself. "Do you know who did that to her arm? Major respect for them, I've been trying to perfect that move for ages."  
"I-ah I don't know." Hinata said with a blush, she pulled Hanabi closer. "You're not supposed to get pleasure f-from other people's pain a-anyway."  
"Not even a teeny, tiny bit of pleasure? Meh, seeing as it's that Karin person she probably got what was coming to her, I hear she's a bully. Someone must've stood up to her, good on them."  
"Yeah... I g-guess."

.

Karin was quiet for the two remaining lessons of the day. Her arm ached like never before but she wasn't about to let anyone know she was beaten by the shy 'innocent' Hinata. Re-assessing her profile of the girl, Karin realised she'd never be able to physically beat the girl if it came to a one on one, most of her posse had abandoned her before half term so she couldn't even do a little group attack, the two girls who had stayed close to her didn't want anything to do with her plan. Damn that Hyuuga and her hidden professional martial arts training.  
"You alright?" Sakura asked, she must've noticed the stiffness in her friend's arm.  
"Yeah. Why?"  
"Nothing... If your arm's fine I got nothing to say." The pink haired girl began packing up her equipment. "I think we should stay away from Hinata... like she knows some ju-jitsu or something." Well that information would have been useful earlier on. "Imagine if she broke you arm or gave you a scar... your modelling dream would be so over."  
"Yeah... self preservation or something like that right?"  
"Yeah, something like that."  
"Then'll I'll leave her till I can beat her myself." Karin said, there was no way she'd ever surpass Hinata, but saying that she would boosted her ego. "Shouldn't take long." She laughed. Sakura smiled at her.  
"Hey, you wanna catch a film or something?"  
"Nah, I got a go-see." Karin lied, she was going to the hospital and checking up on her arm.  
"Ah, awesome, tell me how it goes yeah?"  
"Yeah."

.

3 weeks later at lunch Matsuri had begged Hinata to stay past her half day to catch a quick glance at Gaara and be an external point of view to see wether the brown haired girl had a chance with him. Hinata had sat in a computer room working on some homework with Naruto and Sai at either side of her. Naruto wanted to see his old friend and Sai had one free period before he had he last lesson; Chemistry. After Sai had left the two of them Naruto started a conversation.  
"Hey,Hina... Karin's not been bothering you right?"  
"N-no...why?"  
"Well... Sakura was telling me something, I guess nothing's happened yet but... you want one of us to make sure that-"  
"I-it's ok Naruto... I can take care o-of myself."  
"I shoulda remembered that. We did go to the same martial arts class." He nervously chuckled. "I just don't want you to get hurt."  
"I-I won't."  
"Karin better watch out." he joked. Moments later Hinata was finished with all of her homework and had it printed and organised in the separate folders. Naruto was playing solitaire on the computer and trying to beat his record of 61 seconds. Remembering her promise to her newest friend she rest her head on Naruto's shoulder. She had another 20 minutes until the bell rang for the end of school... that was a whole nap right there.

.

When the bell rang Naruto softly shook me awake. A few weeks ago I don't think I'd be able to do so without fainting... being so near to Naruto that is. I picked up my bag and waited for him to log off his computer. Suigetsu brushed past me and I didn't even attempt to acknowledge his presence. Whatever he promised Sasuke wasn't promised to me and I really hated that it was someone I had gotten to know who had provided Karin with that embarrassing material... then there was the uncomfortable after thought that he could hack onto my laptop whenever he felt like it... My laptop was always closed when I wasn't using it now. Better safe than sorry. Naruto was at my side and we met Matsuri in the 6th form centre. She was brushing her hair and putting on some lip-gloss.  
"Do I look good?" she asked.  
"Y-you look great."  
"Cool. Ok, he said he's waiting for me and the gates." she squealed. Hinata put a smile on her face as she was dragged to the front gates. She could tell that Gaara had been spotted already, every girl on campus had appeared to freeze, all facing one direction. Matsuri calmed herself down and motioned for me to follow after her towards the red head leaning against his motorbike.

I had gone through a stage of liking boys on bikes since father introduced me to Moto GP on the sports channel, when Naruto had gotten his moped by heart did race a little bit, but this boy on the motorbike... Gaara... I could see why the girls were frozen. His hair was the brightest red I'd ever seen, brighter than Karin's hair and brighter than any tomato I'd seen Sasuke eat. I was perfectly fine at just admiring his looks and not being romantically interested in him... until I saw his eyes. They were bluer and more pure than Naruto's had ever been, and his lack of eyebrows and eyeliner or tattoo- what ever it was surrounding his eyes... it made him look like a model. Matsuri was happily chatting to him, his head turned casually to look at her and I saw the multiple piercings on his ears, six on the right, five on the left. Red hair, motorbike, tattoos and piercings. He was definitely not a guy my parents would want me to bring home... but his eyes made my knees weak, even though I was dating Sasuke. Naruto patted my back as he pushed me towards his old friend.  
"Racoon!" Gaara just smirked.  
"Hello Naruto." And his voice rolled out smooth as velvet... I think I even saw a tongue piercing. No wonder Matsuri was interested. "Who's this?"  
"This is Sasuke's girlfriend."  
"I thought he was gay..."  
"So did Tsunade." Naruto shrugged, "But yeah, Hinata this is Gaara." He offered me his hand.  
"H-h-hi..."  
"Nice to meet you. Matsuri... where am I taking you again?"  
"Home. _Duh_."  
"Yours or mine?" There it was again a surge between my knees...and all over a chat up line that would probably only work for three people. Matsuri tapped him on the shoulder. "Naruto, Hinata." He lifted one leg over the motorbike and pulled on the black helmet over his scarlet hair, Matsuri got on behind him and clung onto the leather jacket, she had on her own helmet, a pink one. She looked back as they sped down the road. I gave her a small thumbs up. As far as bad boys went... Gaara was the most appealing that I'd seen.

.

"Hey Hinata, you okay? You've been drooling for the last 5 minutes." Naruto teased. Hinata's face lost all the pink, she had realised she'd been fan-girling over her friend's love interest. While she had a boyfriend. Oh dear.  
"I-I am f-fine..."  
"Should I warn Sasuke... about the competition?" He continued, "The guy has a right to-" the blond pulled out a phone from his blazer pocket... and then another. "Aw crap. Hinata... on a scale of one to ten how mad will Sasuke be that I have his phone?"  
"E-eleven?"  
"Yeah... you better give this back to him." He grabbed his own white helmet, thrust the phone into Hinata's palm before heading out on his moped. Hinata shrugged and started for home. Chouji and Shikamaru had already left, as had Sasuke- they all had half days with the exception of Matsuri and Sai. As she reached her front door Sasuke's phone vibrated in her pocket and Swedish power metal rang in her ears.

**WOAH-OH-OH-AH-AH-AAAA-HA-AH-AH-AH! WOAH-OH-OH-AH-AH-AAAA-HA-AH-AH-AH! WOAH-OH-OH-AH-AH-AAAA-HA-AH-AH-AH! WOAH-OH-OH-AH-AH-AAAA-HA-AH-AH-AH! WOOOOAH!/**

_Who's got my phone?_  
"I-I do..." Hinata contemplated telling him that Naruto gave her the phone, "I f-found it at lunch but you had l-left."  
_I'm coming over for it._  
"O-okay." It felt weird hanging up Sasuke's phone, he was always very protective of it, probably because girls were known to steal it, note down the number and put themselves on his speed dial. Did Sasuke have other girls' numbers on his phone? Did he call them and text them? Hinata hopped up her stairs to the sanctuary of her room. She changed into her house clothes in a flurry and never let Sasuke's phone out of her sight. Sitting down on her bed she allowed herself to press select and the star key.

**Phone unlocked.**

Did she feel nosy? Yes. Did she feel slightly guilty? A little, but not much. She noticed that in Sasuke's draft messages there were countless saved messages to be sent to someone who's name was 'Wet Dream'... Hinata flicked through the first three, her face getting heated as she reached the end of them. Sasuke was going to send these to someone. Well if they'd been sent to her she would have rolled over and died slightly from the sheer sensuality of them. Sasuke sure did have a filthy mind- one of the texts began describing the way he would pleasure this 'Wet Dream' person by taking them in the backseat of his car, another on how he had ropes and if they wanted to try something out. The one that stood out the most was the one depicting how he'd press this person against a wall and make them scream for him. Hinata was just about to go through the fourteenth text, they had become addictive, she couldn't stop reading, it was like a filthy side had awakened in her. The bell for the front door was ringing downstairs. Hinata quickly closed down the Drafts folder and tried to act as normally as she could- given the circumstances that she had basically just read soft-porn.

"H-hi."  
"Hey." He moved in for a kiss but Hinata couldn't really, other than the few heated kisses that had occurred while she had been completely under the spell of his lips, their kisses had been relatively innocent. She presented him with his phone. "Thanks. You didn't find this somewhere public right?"  
"Well i-it was on the table..." Sasuke pocketed the device and walked in. Over the last three weeks he'd been coming over on the Monday half day, they'd play Guitar Hero and sometimes he'd help her out with her Philosophy. Her father was used to walking in the house to find the two of them on a chair watching a movie or something similar at 5PM, Hanabi knew to steer clear of the front room during those hours and her mother often left food over for them to eat. Sasuke kicked off his trainers, Hinata shut the door and leant against the closed doorway. "Sasuke..."  
"Yeah."  
"W-who's that girl on y-your phone? T-the one w-whose name is f-filling you drafts b-box." Sasuke looked at her in disbelief.  
"You... went through my phone?" He laughed.  
"What's so funny?"  
"Did you read the draft texts?" He asked her, the biting of her lip and blush upon her cheek counted as a 'yes' to him. "Did you enjoy them?"  
"W-wha- no! I- you- w-w-hat? N-no!" so another 'yes'.  
"Did you look at the number for her?"  
"No..." Sasuke pulled out his phone and pulled up the contact information.  
"Well, maybe you should." Hinata stared at the small screen, the contact information for 'Wet Dream' was her own. Sasuke was contemplating sending _her_ those texts. "I know you still have me under 'Sex God'... Naruto and the guys were messing about with my phone a while back. Couldn't be bothered to change the name." His arms fenced her to the front door. "Satisfied? Or do you need my help?" Hinata squeaked something inaudible. She ducked under his arms and into the kitchen. He followed her at a much slower pace. Oh he was so going to make her faint tonight.

* * *

Yup. That's this chapter done. Undertones of possible sexual referances there... I think my pervertedness is exposing itself through my writing. Damn that NaruTen walk-in! You've fogged my mind with possible outcomes of things. Oh and hey, next chapter (epiolouge) Guess who's back? Back again? Ino's back, tell a friend! I miss her. But it'd be stupid for her to have left only a week ago only to come back... next chapter will be set a few months in the future, where Ino's settled and where Hinata and Sasuke have actually been going out for longer. Hehehehe... Sexy Gaara... I always feel the need to add him in any possible Naruto based story... he's yummy! As for the piercings- he actually has them (in the manga)... Kishimoto just isn't consistant with them. Seriously, look up scanlations of his appearance- you'll see the sexy peircings. Constructive Crit. All the time. So thanks for following me on this journey of new putting stuff back online.


	17. Chapter 17

They Made Me

Kawaii Kabu

The Epilogue is set 7 months into the future, summer holidays have come and gone- it is now Christmas and Ino is visiting the UK for the first time since she left. Since Moon-Forest suggested/asked if I was going to write a sequel it got me thinking. I'm _definately_ writing a sequel. NejiTenNaruSaku love triangles. Not so much SasuHina- but if anyone wants to know how I want the relationships to end up, well they'll be there, so I've also involved little hints to how that piece of fiction is going to start. I apologize for the lame lateness of my update- I've had laptop problems, UCAS applications and mock exams the last couple weeks so my time's been badly spent... Also it's really hard like.. concluding this story. Enough excuses though- here's the final installment.

* * *

Ino rolled over in her old bed in her old room. It was good to be home; she'd just arrived by plane a mere hour ago and was already sighing contentedly into a mattress. Inochi had booked the Christmas holidays off of his work to spend time with his daughter- really spend time with her, not this Skype business that all the teenagers seemed to pick up. None of her friends knew she was back yet, it was a surprise to her when her mum gave her the plan ticket with her name on it. Despite the nostalgia flooding her, she missed little Chang-su and Minji, but she definitely didn't miss speaking her native tongue to someone. Inochi pushed through her bedroom door with continental breakfast on a tray.  
"Breakfast for my piglet?"  
"I'm surprised you're gonna let me eat up here."  
"Well you could always come downstairs and curl up with your old man."  
"That doesn't sound too bad actually... I missed you daddy."

As important as her friends were- she hadn't spent quality time with her dad in what seemed like forever. No doubt they'd still be in school anyway; today she could spend catching up with her father. It was rare enough an occasion now that she was a teenager but absence definitely made the heart grow fonder. Today, today she'd spend with her father, tomorrow... actually- make that the day after, she'd go on the prowl for her friends.

.

When I woke up this morning I felt like I wanted to crawl back into bed, this was weird for me; I always woke up early and feeling like getting on with the day... Today however... not really feeling the vibe. It was the 22nd of December and my last day of school for the term. It would be a half day and I'd probably end up with Sasuke in my front room until my parents came back from work because we've figured out my house is a lot warmer. The warmth- main reason I stayed in bed for so long, why did the alarm clock have to come between me and my bed? We were happy together.  
"Hinata! Your boyfriend's here to pick you up!" Wait what? Already? But it's only 6:35... I checked the alarm clock, 7:45... I had just blinked and time travelled.  
"I-I'll be ready i-in a minute!" I would not be ready in a minute! Luckily for me there wouldn't be any serious classes today so I didn't have to pack my bag, I rolled out of bed stripped off my comfy pyjamas and got dressed in record time. Pulling on my coat while brushing my hair was not a skill I had fully developed yet but I managed to make it out in about 15 minutes. When I got to the front door no-one was there, I could hear laughter from the kitchen though.

Sasuke was there eating bacon sandwiches with my little sister.  
"Oh, so you're alive then?" she smirked taking another bite into her sandwich, "I was _just_ about to check up on you... well, I was going to send Sasuke but I think we all know how _that _would have ended up."  
"S-shut up." I spluttered.  
"What- have you not seen yourselves when I walk in from school? It's like a two headed octopus is on the sofa!" I swear I felt my ears burning. Sasuke sighed and continued eating his bacon sandwich- I'm not surprised, I could see the ketchup leaking from it, and I would always come second to food with tomato in the mornings. I saw one cheese toasty popping out of the weird plastic cover in the toaster. No one else was around, I claimed it. I had just taken my first bite when Sasuke finished.  
"We'll be late if we don't go now." Hanabi pulled on her scarf- she still didn't wear a coat in winter, just her school blazer, thicker tights and a scarf & gloves set she bought in a sale.  
"See you too lovebirds later." she sang heading out the door. She left it open and a breeze rolled through the house.  
"Hey."  
"G-good m-morning." Sasuke kissed me; I could literally taste the ketchup from his sandwich. "Y-you taste like ketchup... t-that's so w-wrong."  
"Well yesterday you tasted like tea with about 15 sugars and still kissed me even though I had just spat out some gum. We're even."

.

The last ten minutes of the last lesson of the last day of term was spent asleep. Naruto's class ended up watching a film as a good-bye present to the Philosophy teacher who was leaving them for greener pastures with his girlfriend. The film they were watching- Zack and Miri make a Porno- totally legit Christmas lesson film for a bunch of 17/18 year olds. The blond's head was rested flat on the desk in front of him; he was separating the dark haired couple. Hinata was avoiding looking at the screen and then glancing over at Sasuke because she always seemed to tear her gaze away at a very suggestive moment that would get him smirking at her. When the bell finally rang and awoke a drooling Naruto the pair had already left. He was the last one out of the classroom with the exception of the brown-nosing students of the class. On the way to his moped he ran into Matsuri who was looking through lost and found for something.  
"Hey. Gaara not picking you up today?" he asked. She looked up at him.  
"He is, but I lost his umbrella before half term, if I can't find it I'm screwed."  
"Dude, it's an umbrella. Just buy him a new one."  
"I can't! It was _his mum's_!" Oh... then Matsuri was definitely screwed, "They said they're throwing out all the lost and found stuff over Christmas, I _really_ need to find this."  
"I'll help." Naruto offered, Matsuri smiled at him and got back to rooting through one of several boxes. Naruto peered into the one closest to him, a gold handle glinted into his eye, he picked it up- hey an umbrella. "So-uh, what does the umbrella look like?"  
"Gold handle, kind of like a pimp-stick and its brown with yellow design or something." Naruto checked over the umbrella in his hand, it matched the description.  
"Found it."  
"What? Where?" The blond pointed to the box. Matsuri sighed, "I looked in that box ten times this week."  
"Well, not everyone can be as magical as me." he laughed. Matsuri punched him in the shoulder and placed the lost (and found) items back into their respective boxes.  
"Come on then let's go." She said fingering the gold handle of the umbrella, he handed it over to her and she clutched it safe to her heart. The pair headed outside to the location Gaara always picked Matsuri up, coincidently near to where Naruto parked his moped every morning. "You doing anything today?"  
"Nope, but I wanna. You?"  
"Sleeping. I am going to sleep all the way through this holiday." She proclaimed, and then she froze. "Hey...who's that with Gaara?" Naruto assessed the girl feeling up the sides of Gaara's motorbike. Brown hair; loose, ears covered with earmuffs, jeans; tight and light, coat; red and trimmed with fur. He knew that hair, those jeans and that coat. Looks like Tenten came for a visit.  
"It's cool, just Tenten."  
"Your 'um... friend'?"  
"Yeah. She really likes bikes and stuff."

.

Tenten was busy admiring Gaara's bike to even notice that Naruto came over.  
"This is beautiful... and you get your license after a one day course?" she asked. The red head nodded.  
"Hey ya raccoon, Ten." The brunette turned around. Naruto was smiling at her... or maybe at Gaara- but he was smiling. There was a girl at his side who she'd seen maybe once or twice before... her name Mat-something.  
"Ready Matsuri?" this girl beamed at Gaara, well... Tenten knew _someone_ was in love. Ouch, and with her friend too- Tenten knew the feeling a little too well. She eased away from Gaara and his bike, the second she did so Matsuri had already joined the boy, clutching onto his torso and an umbrella. She and Naruto watched as they sped of. Tenten whistled.  
"No offence, but his bike blows your moped out of the water."  
"Hm, and this doesn't bother me at all." the blond said wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "You doing anything today?"  
"Nope, s'why I came to visit you."  
"And there was me thinking you cared about me." he wiped a fake tear off of his face, "Never an older woman again."  
"Shut up, it's only 2 years!" they both laughed.  
"Hey I didn't bring the moped out today; my road was too icy. You're alright to walk right?"  
"Yeah... I can do that."

.

In the ivory walled, modern deco'd front room of the Hyuuga house two dark haired teens lay entangled on the sofa. The smaller, Hinata was resting with her head against the chest of her boyfriend, her eyes slowly drooping. He was stroking her hair absent mindedly as they were both not paying attention to the movie playing in the background.  
"S-Sasuke..."  
"Yes."  
"This morning... w-why were you and Hanabi laughing?" The Uchiha sighed, he could a) tell her the truth and risk her fainting on him or b) lie and continue making out with his girlfriend... of course then she might talk to her perverted little sister who would bluntly reveal what had transpired between them.  
"You want the PG version or rated 18?" Given the choice between something family friendly or suitable for 18s only made Hinata jump up.  
"R-rated 18?" For a girl who exuded innocence, her straddling of Sasuke on the couch suggested otherwise. "D-don't talk to her a-about _E-ex_-rated t-things!"  
"18, not X-rated," Sasuke argued, "She was groaning about us in the front room... Her exact words on walking in on us was 'like seeing a two headed octopus', but you knew that already- There's more." he stated.  
"O-oh dear..."  
"Apparently, we stick to the front room because you don't trust yourself around my level of sexiness with no threat of someone walking in on us." Hinata clapped his shoulder, she wasn't tired anymore.  
"T-that's not t-true!" She protested. The expression on Sasuke's face however showed that he didn't believe her. "I-It's not!" Sasuke rolled his eyes, "I'm serious." she pouted.  
"Prove it."  
"W-what? No-we, I c-can't! _N-no_."  
"So then she's telling the truth." Sasuke smirked as Hinata submissively returned to her previous position with a muttered 'shut up'. She was hiding her blush from him; since he pinpointed the exact spot where the blush on her face began (the bridge of her nose) she'd taken to hiding from him whenever her flesh darkened.  
"S-she's getting coal for C-Christmas... Y-you're telling her."  
"I _would_, but she's _your_ sister and I'm leaving for Majorca tonight."  
"O-oh yeah... y-you're not h-here for Christmas... A-ah... wait here." Sasuke watched as she headed for the other room- he presumed the room that they kept their Christmas tree was in, with an amused smile on his face. His dark haired girlfriend re-emerged with a red and green striped rectangle shaped gift.  
"A present?" She nodded vigorously.  
"W-well... y-you're n-not going to b-be here f-for Christmas... so I uh- here." She thrust the present into his hands and gazed at him expectantly.  
"You make me feel like a douche for not having your gift on me." He sighed casually running his hand through his onyx hair. After noticing Hinata's fallen face he attempted to save the moment, "Ah- on our way to the airport I'll drop it round."  
"O-okay." He got up, awkwardly patted her head and headed out with his gift under his arm. Hinata was disappointed... she was expecting a goodbye kiss, then again, if he was coming around later, they could have the moment later while trying to avoid their family member's prying eyes. She sank into the sofa and flicked the channel to the comedy film channel; she needed a laugh right now.

.

At around 9PM Ino knocked on the Hyuuga door, she could hear someone flying to the door and it was opened with an out of breath Hinata gazing up- the smile on her face faltered before she broke into a grin.  
"I-Ino!"  
"Sunshine~!" They embraced after what seemed like far too long, someone scoffed behind them.  
"Pay up brosef." Hanabi ordered her older, male, yet somewhat identical cousin. He placed a five pound note into her outstretched palm.  
"Why are you guys waiting at the door?" Ino questioned, "It was like lightening." Hinata diverted her eyes but still hadn't let go of her estranged friend. Hanabi giggled by the stairs.  
"She's been like that since he left. When Neji came over the door opened way quicker than that. He says he's bringing her a _gi~ft_." The younger girl suggestively sang. Neji's lavender eyes whipped around to his youngest cousin who then challenged him in a stare down which he won.  
"He's probably not even coming back until his holiday is over. He_ is_ an Uchiha." he commented before walking into the front room, Hanabi slowly followed behind him.  
"Hinata... you're waiting at the door for Sasuke?"  
"W-well... he said-"  
"That's not right. Come on! We're going to eat some Chinese!" The blonde girl yelled, "Well, if that's okay with your parents..."  
"B-b-but..."  
"No doubt he still wouldn't have come while we're gone. It'll be for an hour at most. _Promise_."  
"Okay..."

Ino was wrong however, because when she and Hinata had come back and the younger girl asked if Sasuke _had_ actually came she was greeted with a wrapped present and a card. Despite the wrapping paper it was still soft- her little sister suggested that it was an item of clothing... her exact words were:  
"So he got you a hoodie or something when you got him the new guitar hero game? He is _so_ dead when he comes back!" Neji seemed to uphold the same idea as Hanabi, but he didn't even like Hinata's boyfriend so he was probably just looking for an excuse to be an overbearing brother-figure. Ino felt slightly guilty for stealing her friend away seeing as the girl had obviously wanted to see her boyfriend before he left.  
"Sorry Hina..."  
"I-it's okay." It really wasn't though; she still smiled though tears were threatening to escape her eyes, "How l-long are you h-here?"  
"Until January 4th."  
"W-we go back o-on the 3rd."  
"That's one thing I didn't miss about school here." Ino joked, "Tell you what, seeing as I made you miss Sasuke, how about a girl s night at mine sometime? You, me, Sakura, Tenten, it'll be fun." Hinata hid her flinch at Sakura's name well; if Ino hadn't known Hinata near all of her natural life she wouldn't have seen it at all. The two girls headed upstairs to Hinata s room, it hadn't changed much, just a few more pictures involving Sasuke and Hinata at her desk. Ino sat on one of the bean bag chairs in front of Hinata's television. "I'm serious. I haven't hung out with everyone in forever."  
"A-ah... Ino?"  
"Yup?"  
"W-well... I-I'm not really comfortable h-hanging o-out with Sakura... I-I know s-she's y-your friend s-so I didn't s-say anything." Hinata replied, she was playing with the hem of her jumper idly on her bed.  
"Is she still following Sasuke around? I'll talk to her about it."  
"W-well, no... b-but it's a-awkward."  
"Why?"  
"It's r-really not m-my place t-to say... I-I don't want to c-change things between y-you." Hinata muttered. Ino began to get worried, was Hinata worried that whatever happened between the two of them would affect her relationship with the pink haired girl? Whatever it was she was going to sort it out now. She heaved herself from the beanbag.  
"Tell you what, I'll go off and talk to Sakura about whatever tonight. It can't be that bad right? I'll phone you tomorrow, but I'm spending Christmas at Shikamaru's with my Dad."  
"O-okay." The girls headed back down the stairs, Hinata always liked to see company off; her mother taught her it was the polite thing to do. With a final hug Ino left for Sakura's house, it was late, it was dark but she had walked these roads many times before and felt safe down them. Footsteps pounded behind her, someone grabbed her shoulder. Neji.  
"You really shouldn't walk around alone at night." he scolded.  
"I can handle myself."  
"Well my uncle says I have to give you a lift home, but if you'd rather walk in the cold than sit in a warm comfortable car, that's your choice."  
"If you're driving me we need to make a stop-off first. Won't take long."  
"Whatever." The Hyuuga male twirled keys around in his hand. Ino shrugged, well this would make things a lot quicker.

In was quiet in the car minus the music of the radio- other than Hinata and the length and treatment of their hair, the two had little in common. On the way to Sakura's house they passed the train station. Ino recognized the blond spikes of hair on Naruto's head as he kissed a brown haired girl. Was he over Sakura? She wound down her window.  
"CRACK ON NARUTO!" She yelled towards him. He was startled as was the girl yet they both waved back at her laughing. "I wonder who that was." Ino mused, she didn't notice Neji's face sour upon the reaction of the couple. A few moments later they arrived at the Haruno residence. Ino got up promising that she'd be out in ten minutes. While she left for the door Neji pulled out his phone and typed up a familiar number.

_Yeah, what do you want Neji?_  
"Where are you?"  
_At the train station. When did you start monitoring my actions?_  
"It doesn't matter. Are you staying at the apartment for Christmas holidays or not?"  
_I'm out with Temari and her brothers so... no I'm not. Oh, and tell Hinata I say 'Hi'._  
"Yeah sure, do you need a lift?"  
_Well my train's here so not back to campus but, I think I need to talk to you and Lee before I go... so..._  
"I'll be there."  
_Kay. Bye, we're going through a tunnel._ With that Tenten hang up on him, what did she want to talk about that was so important? It didn't matter as much, his suspicions were confirmed, and she was still hanging out with that annoying boy in his cousin's year. So blatantly too, she didn't even hide it from him. When she said she loved him, did she mean it the way he thought she had?

.

"FOREHEAAAD!" Ino shrieked at the door. She'd been ringing the bell for five minutes but the door hadn't been opened. She cursed and kicked the door frame before moving to the window, the curtains weren't drawn and she could see Sakura eating a tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream in front of the television. She tapped the glass to get the girls attention but stopped when she saw Karin walk into the front room with a glass of coke in hand. Ino watched as Sakura and Karin joked about and shared the tub of ice cream. So she was being replaced was she? By Karin? That stupid, plastic, evil, Sasuke-wanting whore- maybe that was the reason Hinata said it was awkward. Well at least now she knew Sakura was definitely in. She returned to the door, banging louder on the wooden portal. Finally someone opened the door.  
"Sorry, the bell wasn't work- Ino? When the hell did you get back?"  
"A couple days ago. Can I come in?"  
"I-uh, guess so." Sakura uncertainly said. "How's Korea?"  
"Korea-ish. So I'm thinking of having a girl s night at mine after Christmas... you interested?" Ino baited, if Sakura felt the same way as Hinata did she'd know. She could read the girl like a book. Sakura shut the door behind her blonde friend.  
"Sure, who else is going?"  
"Hinata and Tenten, you know standard."  
"Right... well okay then." The pink haired girl pulled a smile that Ino knew was fake, "It'll be cool me and Hinata hang out all the time." she lied. Ino raised a questioning eyebrow and leant on the banister for the stairs.  
"That's funny, Hinata's under the impression it'd be awkward. Is there any reason for it to be?" Ino pleaded, she didn't want to be angry with her friend.  
"Nope." Sakura chirped almost instantly.  
"Really?"  
"Totally." It was then that Ino noticed Karin had come out of the front room to watch the exchange.  
"Oh you don't know do you?" The flame haired girl gloated, "Maybe I should've said I'd have told you instead of Sasuke." she chuckled as Sakura's face paled.  
"Karin _fuck off_." the pink haired girl hissed.  
"Sorry'ard." she muttered sarcastically before leaving. "Someone's _pissed_." From Ino's point of view it looked like Karin held something above Sakura's head, something big. The pink haired girl sat on the stairs and Ino joined her.  
"Forehead..." she started, "What's that bitch on about?" She wrapped an arm around her old friend's shoulder. A pink head rested against her shoulder.  
"Hinata and I aren't really _that_ close." Sakura admitted, "In fact, we're not close at all."  
"Why not? You guys were fine when I left... I thought you'd take care of each other while I was gone." Sakura chuckled.  
"Only if you mean it in the way that the mob 'takes care' of people in those stupid gangster films... We really weren't fine."  
"But you-"  
"We didn't want to ruin your day so we just kept it quiet..." The girl hushed up as Karin walked through the hallway with a bag in hand and a coat on her back.  
"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone shall I?" she sneered at Ino.  
"Well at least you finally know where you're not wanted." Ino cheerfully replied, glaring at the girl who was most like an enemy to her as she left through the front door. "So why aren't you guys friends... is it because of Karin?"  
"Sort of... mostly my fault... but Sasuke, Naruto... they know as well. They all picked me over her." The pink haired girl stated with a hint of disbelief in her voice.  
"Whoa-whoa-whoa, you're jealous of Hina? Come on Sakura! You don't need Sasuke or Naruto hanging about you!"  
"Yeah, but they were /my/ friends first... I knew them forever and we hung out all the time and I make _one_ mistake and they leave me alone. The only person who hangs out with me now is Karin and she gets pissy if I go near anyone else... after that half term no one really likes to talk to her so when I hang out with her I'm not really fighting off friends now..."  
"There's got to be something I can do for you." Ino replied. "I mean- you're the reason I didn't fail my GCSEs, my year 9 SATs _and_ my 11+ there's got to be something I can do..."  
"You can not get angry when I tell you what happened... It might take a while to explain though... I mean you've been here for-" Sakura's speech was cut off by a fist banging on the door.

"OIT. Ino, if you're not out in five minutes I'm leaving!" Neji yelled through the door. The two exchanged a look that said 'someone's pissed' with small smiles on their faces.  
"FINE! I'LL SLEEP OVER THEN!" Ino screamed back.  
"Fine." The other person at the door yelled. Ino's face flushed with a little embarrassment.

"Sorry, Neji's been cranky since we passed the station. Well of course I'm gonna be here for you, you've been my friend since _forever_." Ino patted her friend's shoulder. "Chocolate?" The pink haired girl laughed.  
"I have some Ben and Jerry's."  
"Awesome!" the blonde sang before dragging her companion to the front room.

.

I was just finishing the packing of my suitcase so that I could go on a yuletide adventure with my youthful Uncle Gai when Tenten walked in. She had been out all day, I was starting to get worried- she too was leaving campus for the three week holiday we were given and she hadn't even started packing yet.  
"Tenten! Did you have a most wonderful time?"  
"Yeah, I had fun." she replied. At once I knew something was wrong- there was no smile on her face, she looked far too serious for the fun loving girl who I hold close to my heart like a sister.  
"What's wrong? Your usual blossoming cheeriness is drooping!"  
"Ahh, got some kind of bad news to break."  
"Is it-"  
"I'll wait for Neji to come back, this is for the whole apartment stuff..."  
"Okay... is it something extremely serious? If anyone is giving you trouble I will sort them out! You do not deserve many troubles being as fair as you are!" I saw a grin appear on her face yet again, but it was only momentarily for Neji appeared mere seconds later with a scowl upon his face. He and Tenten shared an awkward moment- I think something may have happened between them, they act a lot stranger towards each other... Tenten is always jittery around him now...  
"I see you're here then." He said, "I want to get back by midnight, Hiashi is taking us to visit my aunt up North London tomorrow so I need to be up early." Tenten took a big breath and motioned for us to sit on the chair in the front room.  
"You know how I'm off with Temari this holiday?..."  
"Is that it?"  
"Well no... I think it's about time I made some more girl friends... so, I'm moving in with her after Christmas."  
"WHAT?" But Tenten can't leave we're the three amigos- we can't function correctly without her there. Who's going to stop me and Neji from fighting each other?  
"Well you can't say you haven't been expecting it." she shrugged. "I'll still come over and stuff, can't break up the team, right?"  
"Are you packing up your stuff now?"  
"Well... yeah. I'll be done and gone tomorrow..." she muttered, "So uh..." I couldn't really say how I felt about Tenten leaving us, my extensive vocabulary couldn't provide me with the words that explained how hurt I felt.  
"I'll go get your gift then... If I won't be seeing you for a while." I said. I knew Neji would want to talk to her, sure enough the second I left the room they started conversing in hushed tones.

.

"Why're you doing this?"  
"I need to.. you know... move on."  
"Is this because of Naruto?"  
"No... it's actually because of you."  
"What?"  
"I _need_ to be alone for a while. Everywhere I go it's either you or him. I don't get anytime to myself or anything."  
"So you're just going to run away?"  
"Well _sorry_ for wanting to sort out my thoughts. Didn't you _want_ me to choose?"  
"You don't have to leave because of that."  
"What if I didn't choose you then? Would you still want me around? It'd be more awkward- we still haven't told Lee anything!"  
"It's not his business."  
"I don't like shutting him out of things Neji. He's our best friend. I'm going to tell him before I go."  
"Whatever. I'm leaving."  
"Neji don't be mad; I need you to understand-"  
"How long have you loved me?" he interrupted. "Compare that to how long you've known Naruto."  
"Well at least he noticed me as a girl before I was drunk and told him things I don't remember." she retorted. With that the brown haired girl headed for her room, collecting the flattened cardboard boxes that were balanced against the television they had shared. Her room was going to be packed up tonight. Temari said she'd send her brothers over to help get her things over. What Tenten was wondering was how she was supposed to get her bed to fit on the top of Temari's tiny car.

.

Five days later Hinata was passing the milestone that everyone celebrated in style. Her 18th birthday, funny how one of the youngest looking and smallest people in the year was one of the oldest. She was technically an adult now, Sasuke had till July but as usual he could get away with being 18, only she had nothing planned. Ino had called and decided that she wanted to help Sakura sort out a few things before she left... she was under the delusion that the two girls could still be friends and was coming over later that night to take her out clubbing. How Ino knew where to go clubbing when she'd been absent from the country in several months Hinata did not know, but she was sitting in her room wearing Sasuke's gift over Ino's. Ino had bought her a red cocktail dress that she made her promise to wear and exactly as Hanabi predicted- Sasuke had given her a hoodie... well, not just any hoodie but his favourite dark blue hoodie; it still smelt of him. Inside the font pocket was a copy of his house keys, he left a note saying that her birthday present was in his room... Maybe she should go over to his house and find it... Then again, she didn't want to really be reminded of him while she didn't get to say goodbye properly. Ino came through the bedroom door.  
"Okay, so I've just come back from Sakura's, I've left all my clubbing stuff at Shika's- so, I'm going to pick it up." Sasuke's was right around the corner...  
"A-ah... could I a-ask you something?"  
"Sure."  
"I-if I give you t-the keys could y-you pick up something from S-Sasuke's for me?"  
"You exchanged house keys? Well you're certainly a hell lot more serious than I thought you were!" Ino teased. "Sure I'll get them for you." Ino chirped.

.

He'd come home early for her birthday. He planned on something special, if she came over she'd be treated with his gorgeous presence as well as all that sappy romantic things girls were into- but if she told a soul- he'd deny it outright. Sasuke Uchiha had a reputation to uphold. The front door opened and he headed down only to be faced with disappointment.  
"How did you get my house keys?" he asked the blonde girl who was standing in the doorway.  
"Aren't you in Majorca?"  
"Aren't _you_ in Korea?"  
"Fair play- I'm here to pick up Hinata's gift..."  
"It's not really something I'm going to give to someone else. Get her to come over."  
"How?"  
"I don't know, tell her you can't find it or something..." the younger Uchiha said stroppily. "Then leave." Ino raised her eyebrow.  
"Oh..." she said with realization, "Is it one of _those_ birthday presents? Cheeky bugger. Fine, I'll call her over."

_Hello?_  
"Hinata I can't find this thing, do you know where your stupid boyfriend would have left it?"  
_I-I don't k-know... maybe his room._  
"Hinata. If I go in his room and 'mess' things up he will most likely dust it down for prints and hunt me down. He won't hurt you though- so come over and look for it."  
_B-but I'm almost ready... a-and it's-_  
"I still haven't passed by Shika though, so I'll jet off when you get here and pick you back up."  
_I-I'll ask N-Neji for a r-ride._  
"Okay, see you soon!"

.

Hinata rang the doorbell and stepped aside, Ino was at the door still in the clothes she left in. Hinata was a bit annoyed, she was all ready to go- she'd gone through half an hour of mental preparation to gain the confidence to walk out in black thigh hold up tights and the slinky, backless red dress that Ino bought her. Her hair was curled and pilled on her head. She was once again wearing the heels she wore to Itachi's party earlier on in the year- thankfully this time she could walk in them comfortably.  
"I-uh, need to pick up my things from Shika's, I'll be back in ten okay?"  
"Mmn." Sasuke appeared to be rubbing off on her- one worded answers? Not very Hinata like. The blonde girl headed out the door handing over the keys as she headed to her father's borrowed car. The door closed and Hinata climbed up the stairs towards Sasuke's room. Ino was being silly, he wasn't so much of a clean freak that he'd dust for prints if something was out of place... he'd probably left the gift somewhere she could find it anyway. When she opened the door the room wasn't as empty as she thought it would be.  
"I-I thought y-you... Majorca and t-things..."  
"Yeah... well..." Sasuke coughed awkwardly, "Wow you look... _Wow_." Hinata blushed and stared at the floor. "Happy Birthday."  
"T-thanks..." she said. It was then she decided to look at what her boyfriend was wearing- he looked dressed for a dinner at a fancy restaurant. "A-are you going a-anywhere? Today I mean- You l-look like y-you're-" Sasuke stopped her talking.  
"I can't look good for my girlfriend on her birthday?" He teased. Hinata took the present that he offered her and opened it gingerly, it looked like a jewellery box. Wrapping paper removed and a sleek black box with her name written on it. She opened that box only for her face to turn another shade of red. Sasuke burst into laughter. Naruto and Kiba thought it would be a funny idea to raid Ann Summers for her birthday gift.  
"Y-you pervert!" she exclaimed, her eyes caught on a silver tube shaped object, she picked it up with confusion written across her face, "_W-what is t-this_?"  
"That's in case you miss me." He laughed. Hinata's face paled as she dropped it again. What else was in the box? An assorted pack of condoms, body chocolate- white and milk flavoured. Good God. Hinata praised whoever wrapped this gift that whatever else in the box was hidden by the confetti filling. "I'm joking, that was Kiba and Naruto's gift." The surprised look on Hinata's face faded.  
"T-they're stupid." She pouted. Sasuke kissed her and she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
"Want to test out your gifts?" The Uchiha suggested. Her eyebrow rose. "I'm serious, they said there's a pair of handcuffs in there."  
"N-no!"  
"So I can keep the box right? In case you change your mind." Hinata punched him lightly in the side. "What?"  
"T-too far." She muttered. "Y-you're stupid to t-think you'd get a-anything when y-you left without saying goodbye."  
"You were gone at the time. Was I supposed to stay until you came back?"  
"Well... n-no. But you d-didn't even kiss m-me before y-you left... a-and it was awkward w-when you did."  
"I spoil you too much. But okay." He kissed her again, his hands roamed across the bare skin of her back and she shuddered again. When he reached between her shoulder blades he stopped. "You're not wearing a bra?"  
"I-I can't in t-this dress..."  
"I like this dress." Hinata pulled back, "I _really_ like this dress."  
"Uhm..."  
"Are you really going out with Ino tonight?"  
"Yes... W-we're ah, going out for my birthday..."  
"Who else is going?"  
"... S-Sakur-" Hinata squeaked, "And Chouji and Shikamaru and everyone else who isn't on holiday."  
"And me."  
"B-but I thought you didn't like-"  
"I don't... usually."

.

The club was noisy, sweaty and made Hinata slightly claustrophobic. She definitely wasn't the type for clubs. Funnily enough, being the only actual 18 year old in the small group she was the only one who was checked for ID, it was embarrassing to have to search through her purse for her provisional driving licence while her friends waited at the doors entrance with the bouncer and people behind her looking at her questionably. Sitting at the bar drinking an appletini courtesy of Ino who was dry humping her boyfriend on the dance floor, Hinata was trying to _pretend_ like she was listening to the strange man next to her who was asking her out and praying for Sasuke to hurry up with his bathroom break so that the man would get the picture that she wasn't interested. When he asked her if it was cold inside she blushed. She saw Sasuke leave the bathroom on the other side of the club and headed towards him weaving through the crowd on the dance floor. The man followed her until she grabbed hold of Sasuke's arm. Her boyfriend glared at the club-stalker until he skulked off.  
"Why's that guy following you?"  
"He didn't u-understand 'no'."  
"'No'? What does that mean?" Sasuke yelled. He had a grin on his face and she laughed at him.  
"I-ah forgot y-you didn't have that in y-your vocabulary." Hinata was twirled around by Naruto who dragged her to dance to a remix of Marina and the Diamonds' 'I am not a Robot' while Sasuke fumed against a wall.

"HEY HINATA!" Naruto yelled over the music, "YOU HAVING FUN?"  
"A little..."  
"WHAT?"  
"A-A LITTLE!" she repeated. "IT'S N-NOT REALLY M-MY SCENE!"  
"IT'S TOTALLY MINE!" The blond replied, "ME AND TEN COME HERE ALL THE TIME!"  
"O-oh."  
"D'YOU KNOW SHE'S MOVED OUT?"  
"What?"  
"SHE MOVED OUT OF YOUR COUSIN'S-"  
"No I heard that- why?" The blond shrugged,

"BEATS ME!" He leaned closer towards her, "Hey your boyfriend's glaring at me, want to make him more jealous?"  
"Wha-" Naruto twirled her around until her back was flush against his own and guided her hips with his hands. Sasuke's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he watched his girlfriend and best friend grind on the dance floor. He decided he had seen enough and snatched her away from the optimistic blond who was doubled over laughing. "YOUR FACE!"  
"Your mum's face." The Uchiha replied. To Hinata he turned, she was blushing at the close contact dancing she'd just had with her once-crush. He gave her a possessive kiss that bruised her lips.

_Let's have some fun this beat is sick, I wanna take a ride on your 'disco stick'_

The dark haired girl then gave her boyfriend a gleeful look that he met with a raised eyebrow. She knew he hated Lady Gaga, but the woman was a near goddess to her. She started dancing to the provocative lyrics, and Sasuke not the usual dancing type of man responded against the gyrating of her hips. When the song had finished the pair were out of breath and tired. They tried looking for the rest of their gang but couldn't find them through the crowd.  
"Let's leave." Sasuke suggested. They headed to the front of the club where the coats and bags were usually stored in the cloakroom area as Beyonc 's 'Single Ladies' caused the crowd to double in size.

In Sasuke's car the energizing lyrics blasting from the Black Eyed Peas' 'Feel it' caused Hinata to wish they had left sooner, it was a lot better than the pumping dance tunes that she could feel the baseline through the floor.  
"Am I taking you home?" Sasuke asked, she shook her head.  
"N-not yet."  
"Why not?"  
"I w-want to spend s-some time with you..."  
"My house it is." Sasuke grinned, "What kind of 'alone time' are you thinking of?"  
"Y-you'll find out when w-we get there." she stubbornly replied. "Pervert."  
"Least I'm open about my perversion. You're in denial."  
"N-no I'm n-not."  
"Do you want me?" He asked bluntly. The question shocked her but she wondered. Did she sexually want Sasuke? A little... he had a really nice body, face... a personality that had to grow on you because he had such a range of fronts that he put up for different people. To the adults he respected- mainly his parents and Hinata's dad (because Hiashi was the first parent to openly threaten him on the first occasion he stayed at Hinata's after school) he behaved himself, no sarcasm at all, with those he felt were on his level, like Sai, Shikamaru and Neji he'd exchange witty banter (even though Neji hated him and his threats were more than 'banter'), with Naruto, Kiba and basically the rest of the teenagers his year he'd act like total dick- Naruto didn't care too much for that and labelled it as Sasuke's way of telling him that he loved him. With her... he could be all three, but he was always possessive- Hinata kind of liked that he got jealous when Naruto danced with her. She loved that he came back for her birthday- because he was showing a side of her he didn't like to present often, and whenever they got close to anything further than just kissing he'd always respect any boundaries that she'd set. And he'd changed from earlier on in the year, he didn't order her around, but he still teased her. Did she love him? Possibly, but was it the same as wanting him in her underwear? "You're taking a while to answer." he said.  
"I-I'm thinking a-about it..." she admitted. The radio presenter had cut into the songs and was introducing some random artist to the show for an interview, Sasuke pressed the button to switch from FM Radio to CD and a haunting guitar rift floated through the air.

_I need to feel you, right by my side... _a soothing voice echoed, a shiver ran down her spine as she noticed Sasuke was quietly singing along with the CD. _There, there must've been an easier way, to release these feelings..._

They pulled into his driveway and the radio was turned off. They took off their seatbelts and headed inside. Sasuke dropped his car and house keys into the bowl by the door and hung his coat on the banister, Hinata shrugged off her own coat and placed it atop of his. Sasuke's front room had a gas fireplace and while she sat curled up on the leather sofa he switched it on. Soon it was as room as her house usually was and she felt comfortable removing her arms from in front of her chest. He was making himself some black coffee in the kitchen, she could see him through the doorway.  
"S-Sasuke..." she called.  
"Yeah?"

"I really l-like you."  
"Good to know."  
"I-I might... l-love you..." that made Sasuke head back into the room.  
"Wait- what?" She suddenly felt self conscious, did he not feel the same way? God this was embarrassing... her face darkened and Sasuke's shadow loomed over her, it was lengthened by the light of the fireplace. "I heard correctly right?" She nodded shyly. "Nice. You too." Was that his way of saying he loved her? "Do you want anything?" he finally asked.  
"N-no..."  
"You sure?"  
"Well..." she paused, she could shock him right now, "M-maybe..." Oh, the alcohol she'd consumed- her lone appletini- was definitely working with her teenage hormones upon making this statement enter her mind and leave her lips.  
"Okay what?"  
"Y-you?" she spluttered with a red face.  
"Are you... sure?" he asked uncertainly, "I'm not complaining but I don't want to push you into a-ny...thing..." his speech slowed down as she began shrugging off the shoulder of her dress. "_Damn_..." he observed her half naked body, "Hold ups?" he asked regarding her choice of hosiery. Hinata looked to the floor and covered her chest with her arms.  
"I-Ino said to w-wear something that made me f-feel s-sexy..." she defended.  
"The red lace wasn't enough?" he laughed while taking off his own shirt. "I'm not complaining though."  
"G-good because i-it's weird e-enough..."  
"Because those are the lace panties you wore the day I kidnapped you?" he asked.  
"H-how do you s-still remember t-that?" she said between kisses against his cheeks.  
"How could I forget it?" Sasuke countered, she blushed so hard that her face matched the scarlet of her underwear and discarded dress. He laid her out on the sofa as he felt her softer skin against his own. As her fingers danced across his back he decided to quit the talking and get the action started.

.

"Hey, where are Sasuke and Hinata?" Ino asked, she and the rest of the group where outside waiting for the pair.  
"Oh-" Naruto started.  
"Probably banging." Sai interjected. Ino laughed in disbelief, "You didn't see them dancing, it was like you and him but ten times worse with about 100% more repressed sexual tension." The dark haired boy turned to Naruto, "I blame the Lady Gaga and you taking her for a grind on the dance floor." Naruto blushed and rubbed the back of his head.  
"Did take it a bit far didn't I?" he grinned. The group of seven laughed together before splitting up into groups of four and three- Chouji, Ino and Shikamaru then Sakura, Kiba, Sai and Naruto, and heading for their respective rides. Chouji and Sakura happened to be the designated drivers of the trip as their parents were the ones who'd bought them cars upon passing their driving tests- Naruto had a moped but that really wasn't the same as a car when it came to carrying passengers.  
"So... I probably shouldn't call them then?" Ino asked her boyfriend devishly.  
"You know what you're like when someone calls when we're in the middle of something," Shikamaru said, "Don't put 'em through that. We won't hear the end of it when we get back to school from that boyfriend of her's." He sighed referring to Sasuke's behaviour towards himself and Chouji.  
"Yeah but-" the blonde argued only to be cut off by her chubbier friend.  
"They're fine and _I_ for one would like to stay alive until natures decided my time is up." Chouji butted in. "I'm not really jumping for the chance to die at Sasuke's hands."  
"So you guys are afraid of Sasuke?" Ino challenged, attempting to destroy what manly pride her two companions held.  
"A little." they responded in unison.  
"He's... uh... emotional when it comes to Hinata." Shikamaru explained.  
"God, 'emotional' is an understatement." Chouji joked, "There isn't a word for how he is when it comes to her."  
"I think it's because she's so cute." Ino mused, "Y'know... I think I'm glad I set them up."  
They made it to Chouji's car and the two males took the front seat as Ino spread her legs across the backseat. The chubbier male scoffed.  
"You didn't set them up. You just put Hinata into a position where she felt like she should go on a date with him." Ino waved off his criticism.  
"You don't understand the great part my mind played in this wonderful match." she joked. Shikamaru stated that he agreed with Chouji on the matter and received a tap underneath his pineapple-mocking ponytail. "_Shu'p_. Let me feel like I'm the matchmaker. Without me doing so they'd never have got together anyway." The ignition was turned on and after checking the road was clear of approaching cars Chouji pulled out of his parking space heading for Shikamaru's house as Inochi's borrowed car was parked in the Nara driveway. "I dunno..." Chouji stated, "He's persistent enough she might've given him a date to try and stop him pestering her... would've happened anyway." Shikamaru nodded in agreement again.  
"You two are _no_ fun. Itachi was in on my master plan anyway." Ino huffed with a flip of her long golden tresses.

.

The next morning Hinata woke up with the sun- as usual- curled up and in one of Sasuke's T-shirts in his double bed. Her boyfriend was hugging her close to him like a child would a teddy bear and he was in the pair of boxers he wore the night before. She remembered the night before- well... the hours before, and blushed. Wow. They'd gotten to use some of the gifts Naruto and Kiba had placed in the box that was her coming of age birthday present, Sasuke had made her feel like she was the only thing that mattered as well. She tried to get out of the bed without disturbing him but he pulled her back.  
"Don't leave yet." he pleaded sleepily. "Wait till I'm actually awake so I don't think it was all a dream..."  
"B-but you w-wake up at n-noon."  
"I won't if you take the cover off me again." he muttered. "Just a couple more minutes."  
"Nope." Hinata decided, "I-I need to uh- use the b-bathroom."  
"I'll go with you."  
"N-no you won't!"  
"What? I've seen it all now."  
"S-s-s-so? Doesn't m-mean you g-get to w-when you feel l-like it." She peeled Sasuke's python-gripping arms from her waist and sauntered to his en suite. When she returned he was still wrapped up in his duvet covers with his eyes closed, he was probably dead to the world right now. Hinata checked her phone that was on the bedside table, no missed calls from either her parents or any of her friends; that was good then, no need to explain her absence if no one questioned it.

.

Half an hour later, Sasuke had woken up enough to drive me home. For my family it was still early, especially for Christmas holidays. But it did mean that no one was around to see my 'walk of shame' as Tenten would've called it. We kissed at the door, Sasuke still looked as though he wanted to be sleeping though.  
"T-thanks for t-the lift." I whispered.  
"Not a problem."  
"Y-you won't tell a-anyone right?"  
"You mean Naruto, Kiba or anyone we hang out with?" he replied.  
"I-it's just that... w-what happened last night-"  
"The sex."  
"Y-yeah... ah... I-I don't think t-they need to know..." I think it would be weird facing them at school if they all knew what we'd done... I mean I know it's natural but people don't need to know my personal business right?  
"Fine. But you aren't allowed to talk about it either." he countered. "Not even to compare notes because I already _know_ I'm better than Naruto or Shikamaru."  
"A l-little full of o-ourselves..."  
"Maybe. I'll see you later, your cousin's glaring at me through the hallway front window." I glanced to my left and Neji was there in his pyjamas glaring holes at Sasuke... so much for no one seeing my walk of shame...  
"Okay... B-bye." He kissed me on the forehead and laughed as Neji's profile disappeared from behind the curtains.  
"I'm taking you out on New Years." Now that I knew Neji wasn't watching us I felt a little more adventurous, Sasuke was already halfway towards his car. I ran over to him.  
"A-ah... Sasuke..." I planted a kiss on his lips and he smiled at me.  
"I love you y'know." He casually stated.  
"M-me too..."  
"You should probably get inside before your stuck up cousin kills the both of us though." he recommended.  
"Y-yeah... b-bye."  
"Hmn." I reached the front door and watched him drive off before I headed inside. Neji wasn't waiting by the door giving me a disapproving look... that was always good. My shoes were off in an instant and I climbed the stairs as quietly as I could heading to change into clothes that wouldn't give off the fact that I'd not come home at night. My phone vibrated when I reached my room. A text from Sasuke.

_'I meant it'_  
**'Me too' **

I had just changed into a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt when Hanabi danced into the room. She usually wasn't up until the late afternoon on holidays. She had a glint in her eye that I just knew she knew what happened.  
"Someone didn't come home last night~" she sang. "Neji was so~ pissed." My ears burned with embarrassment. "He wanted to castrate Sasuke. Lucky you I convinced him that you probably spent the night with Ino..."  
"D-did you?"  
"Nah. I told him that you were an adult now and that he needed to transfer this weird big-brother crap on the only underage family member he has left." Hanabi joked, "I'm wishing I didn't though... _he Facebook stalked Konohamaru_!"  
"T-that's y-your problem now..."  
"You have to help me." She pleaded. "It's your duty as my big sister."  
"No... n-no I don't." I teased back.  
"Well can you at least call Tenten to calm him down?"  
"... N-nope."  
"But whyy~?"  
"B-because... t-they're not talking right now..." "Ugh. My love life is so screwed right now." she complained.  
"I t-think Neji likes your boyfriend though... a-and he w-won't be mean b-because h-he's twelve."  
"Thirteen." she corrected.  
"Exactly..."  
"But what if Neji-"  
"T-then you can k-kick him in the shin."  
"Fine. But you're back up." Hanabi left stubbornly, I lay across my bed... A new year was coming up about two days... I could only hope it would be less stressful than the year I just had.

* * *

Well hopefully that lived up to expectations... I'm rusty on the finishing of stories. Really need to work on that... anything I haven't concluded (e.g. the Sakura/Karin karma, Tenten's choice, blah de blah) is left so that I can work further into it in the sequel, I really wanted to finish it up on Hinata and Sasuke's relationship... the side stories can wait methinks. Time to thank people.

Reviewers:  
sandy (anon.), ImCutePoison, Lawlietfangirl, (anon.), Catriana, BabySandwich (anon.) Kay S (anon.), lilmaimas, tartar12345, kibagaaralover18, Moon-Forest (anon.), BlackWerewolfOfPurpleRoses, Coco-Minu, KawaiixKisses, Xakia, TigerstripeCrayon, MariaSabaku, Sk8 (anon.), onlyluna, BlackMoonTiger, Mew Mew Miu-chan, blipblop, MsLCloud, MochaaxGonexCrazy, jadeismycolor, WindCompass13, bleachbabe03, kittychan (anon.), NaokiB4U, Ai Deidara, Mariketa the weylock, UchihaFanForever, hjwtghs (anon.), Yin-Yan-Yum-Yum, Sheephair (anon.), ryomaeijiarehot, GrimRush, mischeifmaiden.

**Woah. **  
**That's a lot of you people! There are actually so many people who's fics I have read, loved and fav'd on this list... **

Alerts:  
AleSwan, Baby-Gal'101, bitchypie, BlackMoonTiger, BlackWerewolfOfPurpleRoses, blipblop, Catriana, Cephisco, Chaosgiver, cheh, conorlover, DolceNana, Esperanz, flying jade, GrimRush, hyperaznmonkey12, icefire666, Icescale, ImCutePoison, kclarinet, kibagaaralover18, kittycatloveshinata, Lawlietfangirl, mamiolah, MariaSabaku, Mariketa the weylock, MissaRoose, miss candyqueen, MissDupre, MochaaxGonexCrazy, MsLCloud, ppeach2, renji504, ryomaeijiarehot, sharp1e, sugarnspiders, tartar12345, UchihaFanForever, WindCompass3, Xakia, Xanime-luvX, xXSlackerbyChoiceXx, XxVioletAshesxX, Yin-Yan-Yum-Yum

Favourited:  
a smiles facade, Ai Deidaram AleSwan, Ayame0217, Baby-Gal'101, bleachbabe03, blipblop, Catriana, crwrong, Darkus Pride, FallingSkiesandStars, fansasuhina, Flame Jnr, Grim Rush, hinamomochi123, hinatalovesbadboys, Kurumi-chan, Midnighter67, mikohoshina, mischeifmaiden, MochaaxGonexCrazy, MsLCLoud, Nero Basterdino, NothingLessThanRealm nylum, ppeach2, renji504, ryomaeijiarehot, sharp1e, Trich, UchihaFanForever, WaxDoll405213, WindCompass13, X AnimeKat X, XxVioletAshesxX

**Even if you didn't leave a review, the fact that I got emails telling me that people were interested enough in the story to recieve updates and/or add it to their favourite is good enough for me. It was just as encouraging to continue writing as the reviews. So once again thanks.**

**I got Community'd too? (Didn't notice till I looked at the old version of the stats this morning... ohdear) Thanks to whoever submitted this story to the community called: **Onyx and Opal

As for when the sequel is posted I'm not really too sure. You'll know when it is, though- I'll add a little A/N to the end of this to notify people. As always at the end, overall feelings of the story? The ending? Ideas about the sequel? And of course constructive crit.

**EDIT: 3:03 23/10/10... 1 minute after this chapter was updated. The song Sasuke is singing along with in the car (incase anyone was wondering- I didn't want to claim it as my own lyrics because I'm not _that_ awesome) is 'Hollow Crown' by the Architects, my BFF Jim (male BBF Jill) sent it to me... I've listened to it on iTunes over 64 times... I think it was my favourite song until I heard Radioactive by Kings of Leon and Welcome Home Son by Radical Face... But it's still in my top ten.**


	18. SEQUEL NOTICE

Hey everyone!

I'm back.  
Had a broken laptop... now have a brand new laptop and this unlimited useage of a computer with notepad (which is what I use to write) has allowed me to write again! WOOO right?

So, The sequel's first 2 chapters are up... I was starting to think that no one's reading them seeing as I have little to no hits and I think 0 reviews. Then I remembered that I was supposed to post a little message here incase anyone who liked TMM wanted to read the sequel.

Like I said, it's very Tenten centric. Some issues from TMM which have not been fully concluded shall be during this fic.

They Made Me: Choices

It's on my profile.

.

Also- I've started a new fic called Unknown Rival... if anyone wants to check that out. It is more canon. There are ninjas. It will be awesome. I uploaded chapter 1 in the witching hour. It is based mostly on Sasuke and Naruto falling in love...

Not with eachother. But with their ANBU captain, whose identity they don't know. I've made some changes to the rank of ANBU to make it easier for my plot to make sense. ANYWAY- hopefully it will interest some of you. If it does, AWESOME- I'll see you guys later.


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